Delhi Govt to build modern sports grounds in schools to nurture young talent

Aiming to provide professional sports training from an early age, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday announced that state-of-the-art sports grounds equipped with modern facilities will be developed in government schools across the city.

The Chief Minister said the initiative seeks to nurture young talent by offering children quality training so that they can make the national capital and the country proud in national and international sporting events.

Advertisement

“The government wants every child to step onto the field, gain confidence, and learn leadership through sports,” she said, envisioning Delhi’s schools as training grounds for future Olympians who would bring glory to India in global competitions.

Gupta chaired a high-level meeting with the Education Department to review departmental activities and directed officials to prepare a detailed blueprint for this ambitious plan.

According to the Chief Minister, the government will collaborate with reputed sports academies to strengthen the sports ecosystem in the capital. As part of the initiative, MoUs will be signed for training in disciplines such as cricket, boxing, taekwondo, football, swimming, and other sports.

These academies will be given access to sports facilities and administrative support to run structured training programmes, she added.

Gupta emphasised that the goal is to ensure children receive professional coaching from an early age, enabling them to pursue their ambitions with discipline and confidence. Sports, she said, not only promote physical fitness but also instil values of teamwork, perseverance, and leadership.

The Chief Minister informed that the Education Department currently oversees 799 school buildings and campuses, and officials have been instructed to identify suitable locations for developing sports grounds or multipurpose auditoriums.

“In schools with large open spaces, modern sports grounds will be developed, while in areas with limited space, multi-purpose auditoriums or mini sports arenas will be constructed,” she said.

Gupta further stated that rural schools will be prioritised under this plan to ensure equal opportunities for young athletes across the national capital.

She added that the government is also assessing the feasibility of constructing swimming pools in select schools to provide foundational training across major sports disciplines.

The Chief Minister assured that there will be no shortage of funds for this project, which will be implemented expeditiously. Promoting sports, she said, remains among the Delhi government’s top priorities, noting that attractive incentive schemes are already in place for athletes who win medals at national and international levels.