As Meghalaya accelerates preparations to host the 39th National Games in 2027, the State on Friday received a major boost to its sporting infrastructure with the inauguration of a ₹132.9-crore Integrated Multipurpose Indoor Sports Complex and an Integrated Hospitality & Sports Complex at the J.N. Sports Complex in Shillong. The twin facilities, inaugurated by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, are expected to play a pivotal role in transforming Meghalaya into a premier sporting destination and strengthening the Northeast’s contribution to India’s sporting landscape.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Indian Olympic Association President P. T. Usha and Sports Minister Wailadmiki Shylla were present on the occasion. The event also witnessed the signing of the Host State Contract for the 39th National Games 2027, formally cementing Meghalaya’s role as host of one of the country’s largest multi-sport events.
The Integrated Multipurpose Indoor Sports Complex, developed at a cost of ₹132.9 crore, has been designed to host a range of indoor disciplines, including basketball, badminton and volleyball. The Integrated Hospitality & Sports Complex, developed under the Meghalaya Eco-Tourism Infrastructure Development Project with support from the New Development Bank, is set to emerge as a key venue for the National Games and a major hub for sporting and convention activities. The facility houses integrated infrastructure, including multipurpose halls, an auditorium and banquet facilities, aimed at enhancing the State’s capacity to host national-level sporting and public events.
Addressing the gathering, Mandaviya said the inauguration symbolised far more than the opening of a building. “Today, we are not opening a building; we are opening a gateway to Meghalaya’s future through sports,” he said.
Referring to the symbolic opening of the facility through its doors instead of a conventional ribbon-cutting ceremony, he said the gesture represented the opening of new opportunities for the youth of Meghalaya and the wider Northeast region.
Describing sports as a fundamental right and a powerful instrument of social and economic development, the Union Minister said investments in sporting infrastructure were investments in the future of society. He noted that the newly inaugurated facilities would help nurture a new generation of athletes capable of bringing laurels to Meghalaya and the country at national and international competitions.
Mandaviya highlighted the Centre’s increasing emphasis on scientific talent identification and athlete development through sports science-based assessment systems. He pointed out that although the Northeast accounts for only around four per cent of India’s population, it hosts nearly 25 per cent of the country’s Khelo India Centres, reflecting the region’s growing significance in the national sporting ecosystem.
On Meghalaya’s preparations for the National Games, the Union Minister said the State had undertaken a major responsibility by agreeing to host an event expected to attract more than 8,000 athletes from across the country. He expressed confidence that the Games would set new benchmarks in sporting excellence, infrastructure readiness and event management.
He also underlined Meghalaya’s potential in tourism, hospitality, sustainable development and organic agriculture, stating that sports-led infrastructure development could create wider economic opportunities for the State. Referring to the proposal for a High Altitude Training Centre in Meghalaya, he said the facility would provide world-class training opportunities for athletes from across India and reiterated the Centre’s willingness to support the initiative.
Mandaviya further lauded Meghalaya’s ambitious sports infrastructure programme, including the construction of what is projected to be the largest football stadium in India and Asia at an estimated cost of ₹700 crore. Invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Play in India”, he said world-class sporting facilities would not only strengthen India’s athletic ecosystem but also position the region to attract major international sporting events and generate long-term economic benefits.
The Chief Minister said the inauguration of the new facilities reflected the State Government’s sustained commitment to strengthening sports infrastructure and investing in the aspirations of Meghalaya’s youth, as the State prepares to host its most significant sporting event to date.
