Nalanda (Bihar), Aug 29 (PTI) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday inaugurated the State Sports Academy (SSA) and Bihar Sports University (BSU) in Rajgir, Nalanda district, coinciding with the National Sports Day.
The SSA, a state-of-the-art facility spanning 90 acres and costing approximately Rs 750 crore, includes an international cricket stadium scheduled for completion by June 2025 and the state’s first astro-turf stadium for hockey. The academy can also handle more than 20 types outdoor and indoor sports.
BSU, approved by the state government on July 16, 2021, will also operate from the same campus.
The inaugural event featured an exhibition match between the blue and white teams of India’s women hockey team, attended by Kumar, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, other ministers, and officials.
The Asian Hockey Federation announced that the SSA will host the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy from November 11 to November 20.
“The event will be a joint venture between Hockey India and the Bihar government and will be held at the newly-developed Rajgir Hockey Stadium from November 11 to November 20, 2024”, the AHF said in a statement.
The BSU, approved in July 2021, will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in sports-related disciplines and will house three centres of excellence for wrestling, weightlifting, and athletics.
“It will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a variety of disciplines like sports management, sports science, sports nutrition, sports psychology and sports injuries,” a senior official of the state sports department said.
Additionally, the state government honoured nine international athletes from Bihar including BJP MLA and Arjuna awardee Shreyasi Singh (shooting), Akash Kumar (foil fencing), Sudhanshu Shekhar (sailing), Sweta Shahi (Rugby), among others. PTI COR PKD MNB
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