India to Host Khelo India Northeast Games Annually

Focus on sports growth in Northeast

India to Host Khelo India Northeast Games Annually: In a major push to promote sports in the northeastern part of India, the government has announced that the Khelo India Northeast Games 2025 will now be held every year. The announcement came during the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025, where Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya outlined the plan to rotate the games across all eight northeastern states. This move is expected to bring national attention to the region’s sporting culture and natural talent.

Encouraging traditional and grassroots sports

This initiative isn’t just about holding a big sports event. The games are designed to strengthen the grassroots sports culture of the region. Special focus will be placed on traditional and indigenous sports, which are often overshadowed by mainstream events. The idea is to keep local cultures alive while nurturing raw sporting talent.

The Northeast has already contributed significantly to India’s international sports achievements. States like Manipur, Assam, and Mizoram have produced many top-level athletes, especially in football, boxing, and weightlifting.

Rotational hosting across eight states

The games will be hosted on a rotational basis by Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. This rotation ensures fair development of sports infrastructure in all states and helps the youth from even the remotest areas get a national platform.

The move also prepares the region to host larger events in the future. The central government has broader goals like preparing for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Summer Olympics.

Infrastructure investment and centres

The government has already invested ₹439 crore in 2021 under the Khelo India scheme, covering 64 projects. These include:

• Synthetic turfs
• Multipurpose halls
• Hostels
• Swimming pools

Currently, the Northeast has:

• 86 operational sports infrastructure projects
• 250 Khelo India Centres (KICs) with over 8,000 athletes
• 8 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs)
• 3 National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) in Guwahati, Itanagar, and Imphal

These figures show how seriously the region is being developed into a sporting powerhouse.

Tech for talent scouting

A unique step in talent identification is the launch of the National Sports Repository System (NSRS). Through this online portal, people can upload videos of promising young athletes. Experts from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) will verify these entries and induct selected athletes into training programs.

Empowering girls through ASMITA

Women’s participation has also been a highlight. Over 13,000 girls from the Northeast have taken part in the ASMITA League, which is a platform for encouraging female athletes and balancing gender representation in sports.

Previous sporting achievements in the region

The Khelo India Ashtalakshmi University Games 2023 set the tone. It successfully hosted athletics, football, archery, and boxing events. It also proved that the Northeast can handle national-level competitions with efficiency and enthusiasm.

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