THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JULY
31, 2026
In a significant step towards strengthening Bihar’s sports
infrastructure, Bihar’s Minister of Sports and Industries, Shreyasi Singh, is
undertaking a four-day official exposure and study visit to Odisha from July 30
to August 2, 2026, to gain first-hand insights into the state's globally
acclaimed sports ecosystem.
The high-level visit is aimed at understanding Odisha’s
world-class sporting infrastructure, High Performance Centre (HPC) operational
models, public-private partnership (PPP) frameworks, and integration of sports science,
all of which are expected to play a pivotal role in the development of Bihar’s
proposed flagship Sports City and modern athletic infrastructure.
A Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist and Arjuna Awardee,
Shreyasi Singh is leading a senior delegation comprising Director of Sports
Arif Ahsan, Deputy Director (BSSA) Himanshu Singh, and other senior officials.
During the visit, the delegation toured several state-of-the-art sporting
facilities across Bhubaneswar, with a comprehensive inspection of the prestigious
Kalinga Stadium sports complex.
The Minister reviewed the world-class infrastructure and
operational mechanisms at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Shooting High Performance
Centre, Gymnastics High Performance Centre, Aquatic Centre, Shuttle (Badminton)
High Performance Centre, Hockey High Performance Centre, Sports Science Centre,
Indoor Athletics Centre, Weightlifting High Performance Centre, and the
AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy. The delegation closely examined the functioning of
these elite facilities, focusing on athlete training systems, high-performance
management, scientific support services, and administrative practices that have
positioned Odisha as India’s leading sports destination.
Further reinforcing inter-state collaboration, Shreyasi Singh
held detailed discussions with senior officials of Odisha’s Department of
Sports & Youth Services on a wide range of subjects, including athlete
development strategies, administrative best practices, talent identification
and grassroots development programmes, sports governance, and event management
protocols. The interactions reflected a shared commitment to strengthening
sports development through knowledge exchange and institutional cooperation.
During the technical inspections and high-level deliberations,
senior officials from the Sports & Youth Services Department, Government of
Odisha, including Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Director
of Sports Dr. Yedulla Vijay, along with other key departmental officials, were
present to provide detailed presentations, facilitate technical briefings, and
guide the delegation through Odisha’s integrated sports ecosystem.
As part of the ongoing study tour, the Bihar delegation is scheduled to visit Puri to inspect the Kho-Kho High Performance Centre and Sports Hostel, further expanding bilateral cooperation and enhancing knowledge sharing between the two states in the field of sports infrastructure and athlete development.
Speaking during the technical interactions, the delegation observed that Odisha’s remarkable transformation into a sporting powerhouse offers valuable lessons for emerging sports ecosystems across the country. “Odisha’s transformative sports framework and athlete-centric ecosystem serve as an exemplary model. The learnings from these operational methodologies and world-class High Performance Centres will play a crucial role in shaping Bihar’s athletic infrastructure and upcoming sports projects,” the delegation noted, underscoring the importance of adopting global best practices to build a robust sporting future for Bihar.
