THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 2, 2026

Odisha and Bihar have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the sports sector through athlete exchange programmes, sharing of best practices, promotion of sports science, and collaborative efforts to identify and nurture talent from the grass-roots level, marking a significant step towards enhancing sporting excellence in both States.

The understanding emerged during a high-level meeting between Odisha's Minister for Sports and Youth Services, Suryabanshi Suraj, and his Bihar counterpart, Shreyasi Singh, at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday. The meeting marked the conclusion of the Bihar Sports and Youth Services Minister’s four-day official visit to Odisha.

The discussions centred on expanding institutional collaboration in sports, improving athlete development pathways, strengthening sports infrastructure, and creating opportunities for players from both States through regular exchange programmes and friendly competitions. Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Odisha's Sports and Youth Services Department, also participated in the meeting and outlined Odisha's sports development model and strategic initiatives.

Commending Odisha for its internationally acclaimed sports ecosystem, Singh lauded the State's world-class sports infrastructure and High-Performance Centres, describing them as benchmarks for sports development in the country. She noted that Bihar, too, is making rapid progress in creating modern sports facilities and emphasised the importance of ensuring their optimum utilisation through collaborative initiatives.

To promote greater interaction between athletes, Singh proposed organising friendly tournaments and player exchange programmes between Odisha and Bihar. She also highlighted Bihar's ambitious initiative to develop sports infrastructure for four disciplines — volleyball, basketball, football, and cricket practice pitches — in every gram panchayat, with the objective of creating sporting opportunities at the village level.

Sharing Odisha's approach towards nurturing young talent, Minister Suraj said the State has been focusing on identifying promising athletes from the grass-roots through initiatives such as the 'CM Trophy'. He underlined that sustained investment in school-level competitions and rural sports has helped Odisha create a strong talent pipeline.

Poonia elaborated on Odisha's integrated sports ecosystem, stressing that close coordination among schools, sports institutions, and government departments is essential to build a sustainable framework for athlete development, particularly in rural areas. Both Ministers concurred that collaborative efforts among stakeholders would play a pivotal role in producing future champions.

Sports science emerged as another major area of discussion during the meeting. Poonia advocated integrating sports science into academic curricula to address challenges relating to coaching, training methodologies, injury management, and long-term athlete development. He observed that scientific support systems are increasingly becoming indispensable for improving sporting performance and safeguarding athletes' careers.

Echoing the importance of sports science, Minister Singh called for extensive awareness programmes to educate athletes on injury prevention, scientific training methods, balanced nutrition, and the importance of adequate recovery and rest. She observed that such initiatives would help athletes achieve peak performance while ensuring their long-term well-being.

Minister Suraj also appreciated the continued expansion of the Central Government's 'Khelo India' centres across the country. Drawing from the deliberations held during the recent Chintan Shivir in Jammu and Kashmir, he suggested organising similar brainstorming seminars at the State and district levels to facilitate knowledge-sharing and policy innovation. He added that conducting State-level competitions ahead of national championships enables athletes to gain competitive exposure, thereby enhancing their performance at higher levels.

The meeting concluded on a cordial note, with Mr. Suraj introducing the visiting Bihar delegation to Odisha's rich cultural heritage and traditional cuisine. Expressing gratitude for the hospitality extended by the Odisha Government, Singh said her visit to the Jagannath Temple in Puri, coupled with the greenery and cleanliness of Bhubaneswar, had left a lasting impression.

Describing Odisha as a model for sports development, Singh remarked that the State's comprehensive approach to infrastructure creation, athlete support, and institutional coordination serves as an inspiration for the rest of the country. She expressed confidence that closer collaboration between Odisha and Bihar would contribute significantly to the growth of sports and the emergence of new talent from both States.