PM Modi inaugurates six indoor cricket academies across North-East

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated six indoor cricket academies across North-East India through a virtual event held in Gangtok, marking a major step in strengthening sports infrastructure in the region.

The academies, developed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, are located in Rangpo (Sikkim), Doimukh (Arunachal Pradesh), Imphal, Madankurklang (Meghalaya), Aizawl and Dimapur. Together, they form a high-performance training network aimed at making quality cricket infrastructure more accessible across the North-East.

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The inauguration was attended by International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah, along with BCCI officials, while representatives from other North-Eastern states joined virtually. The project was initiated by the BCCI under Shah’s leadership during his tenure as secretary, with the foundation stone laid in May 2024. It is part of a broader effort to strengthen cricket in emerging regions and create better development pathways for players.

Each academy has been designed as a high-performance centre, featuring indoor practice facilities, modern gymnasiums, temperature-controlled swimming pools, and dedicated training and administrative spaces. These facilities are expected to enable year-round training, especially in a region affected by long monsoon seasons, and reduce the need for players to travel elsewhere for professional coaching.

The initiative also follows the inclusion of North-Eastern states in India’s domestic cricket structure and is seen as a key step towards improving talent identification and development in the region.

Commenting on the initiative, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said: “This is a momentous occasion and a red-letter day for the entire North-East, and I thank the PM Narendra Modi for gracing the event and inaugurating the facilities. I thank the ICC Chair Jay Shah, for his vision and for initiating this important project back in 2022.”

“This is a major boost, and the cricketers from the region will benefit immensely as training and preparations will continue throughout the year, giving players the consistency they need to develop their game. I am confident that this will pave the way for more players from the North-East to progress to the highest levels of the game,” Saikia added.