SAI Bengaluru set to get new HPC as Minister sets ball rolling in virtual ceremony

New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Sports Authority of India's Netaji Subhas Southern Centre (SAI NSSC) in Bengaluru is set to get a new state-of-the-art High Performance Centre (HPC), the foundation laying ceremony for which was virtually inaugurated by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya here on Wednesday.

The proposed High Performance Centre, that is set to cost Rs 75 crore, will be developed with CSR support from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which will contribute Rs 60 crore to the project. It is expected to become operational in the next 12 months, as per a SAI source.

"It will significantly strengthen India's elite athlete preparation ecosystem by providing integrated, world-class sports science and support facilities under one roof," stated a press release from the sports ministry.

The release stated that once completed, the HPC will house advanced facilities for sports medicine, strength and conditioning, rehabilitation and recovery, biomechanics, physiology, psychology, nutrition, performance analysis, and hydrotherapy, enabling data-driven preparation of elite athletes.

Addressing the ceremony virtually, Mandaviya emphasised that the Centre reflects India's shift from a participation-oriented approach to a podium-focused, high-performance sporting nation.

"This High Performance Centre will ensure that training and recovery are guided by science and technology, enabling our athletes to compete and excel at the highest international level," the Minister said.

The Minister lauded HAL for its significant CSR contribution.

"An organisation that contributes to national defence is now contributing to India's sporting excellence," he remarked.

SAI NSSC Bengaluru is one of the country's premier sporting hubs, which hosts National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), coaching camps, and elite athlete training programmes across disciplines like hockey and athletics.

"The proposed HPC is expected to play a key role in India's preparations for major international sporting events and aligns with the country's long-term vision of emerging as a global sporting power, including aspirations to host the 2036 Olympic Games," the ministry release stated.

Those present at the ceremony in Bengaluru included Vishnu Kant Tiwari, Secretary, SAI, and Dr. D K Sunil, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL. PTI PM PM PDS PDS