Nainital — Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while addressing a grand function at the DSA Ground in Nainital on Friday, reaffirmed his government’s commitment to transforming Uttarakhand into a powerhouse in the field of sports. He announced that the DSA Ground will be developed into a model sports center with state-of-the-art facilities suitable for national-level competitions and training camps.
He further declared that an international-standard hockey turf and a boxing ring will be installed at the nearby Flats Ground, which will henceforth be reserved exclusively for sports and cultural events, with a complete ban on commercial activities, ensuring that local athletes’ interests are safeguarded.
“Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is now fast emerging as ‘Khelbhoomi’. Sports not only promote physical and mental well-being but also instill core values such as discipline, teamwork, and perseverance,” said the Chief Minister. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Khelo India’ and ‘Fit India’ campaigns for giving momentum to sports culture across the country and enhancing India’s presence on the global sporting stage.
Highlighting Uttarakhand’s performance in the 38th National Games, Dhami shared that state athletes earned 103 medals, and seven national-level competitions were successfully hosted in Nainital and Haldwani.
Dhami also unveiled the government’s ambitious Sports Legacy Plan, under which 23 sports academies will be established across eight major cities, offering high-quality training to hundreds of aspiring athletes each year.
In a major step forward, the Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand’s first sports university is being established in Haldwani, along with a women’s sports college in Lohaghat.
Under the newly implemented Sports Policy, medal-winning athletes at the national and international levels are being given out-of-turn appointments in government jobs. Additionally, multiple schemes like the Chief Minister Sports Development Policy, Khiladi Protsahan Yojana, Udayman Khiladi Yojana, and Sports Kit Yojana are already being effectively implemented to support the holistic development of sportspersons.
To honor sporting excellence, the government has instituted awards such as the Uttarakhand Khel Ratna and Himalaya Khel Ratna.
The event witnessed the presence of several dignitaries and public representatives including BJP District President Pratap Singh Bisht, MLAs Sarita Arya (Nainital), Ram Singh Keda (Bhimtal), and Fakir Ram Tamta (Gangolihat), along with Mayor Gajraj Singh Bisht, Mayor Ajay Verma (Almora), and BJP leaders Bhavana Mehra, Mohit Arya, and Shanti Mehra.
From the administrative side, Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, DIG Riddhima Agarwal, District Magistrate Vandana Singh, SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena, and other senior officials were also present.
