Rs 1000 Crore Expenditure, 10,000 Athletes: Uttarakhand Hosts 2025 National Games
The 2025 National Games are poised to be Uttarakhand’s largest sporting event, featuring over 10,000 athletes competing in 35 disciplines for 16 days. This event, hosted across multiple districts, has spurred a Rs 1,000 crore investment in new and upgraded sports facilities.
Preparations are well underway, especially at Dehradun’s Rajat Jayanti Khel Parisar, where excitement fills the air despite signs of ongoing construction. Recent additions include a new indoor shooting range, a multipurpose hall, and an upgraded athletics track, all designed to benefit both current and future athletes.
Athletes Welcome Infrastructure Boost
Local athletes are enthusiastic about these upgrades. Pawani Rawat, a 25m pistol shooter from Roorkee, shared her excitement: “Having a full electronic range in my city is a big deal. We always hoped for better facilities, and finally, it’s happening.”
These improvements align with Uttarakhand’s broader ambition to become a sporting hub, despite its challenging geography and cold winters. Many of the state’s top athletes, such as Abhinav Bindra, Jaspal Rana, and Rishabh Pant, have trained outside the state. Officials believe that with the new infrastructure, future champions will emerge from Uttarakhand itself.
Logistical Challenges and Athlete Accommodation Issues
While the grandeur of the Games is evident, logistical challenges persist. Haldwani, one of the nine host districts, has already faced criticism. The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) raised concerns regarding athlete accommodations, as swimmers are currently staying in hotels that are 90 minutes away from their competition venues in Corbett and Bhimtal.
A senior SFI official commented, “This should have been planned earlier. Athletes with morning heats and evening finals shouldn’t be more than 30 km from the venue. It’s an avoidable issue.”
Despite these setbacks, excitement runs high, particularly for the grand opening ceremony at Dehradun’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding to the significance of this moment for Uttarakhand.
Government’s Vision for the Future
State officials believe that the impact of these investments will extend beyond the Games. Prashant Arya, the Additional CEO of the National Games, highlighted this vision: “Infrastructure doesn’t disappear after the Games. We plan to operate academies and centers of excellence at these sites.”
With a focus on long-term sporting growth, the government aims for Uttarakhand to host more national and international events in the future. The newly built sports complexes in Haldwani, Rudrapur, and Dehradun could play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of Indian athletes.
The Road Ahead
As the countdown begins, performers are rehearsing, security drills are being refined, and last-minute adjustments are being made for the inaugural event. The buzz around VIP passes and accommodations adds to the pre-event excitement.
Although Uttarakhand may not have a rich history of producing sporting legends, the investment of Rs 1,000 crore in world-class facilities for the 2025 National Games could signal a turning point. While the effective utilization of this infrastructure after the Games remains a challenge, Uttarakhand is set to shine on India’s sporting map.