Mizoram pushes for men’s hockey academy, more SAI centres

Mizoram Sports Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar met Hari Ranjan Rao in New Delhi to seek greater support for sports infrastructure in the state, with a special focus on reviving hockey in Mizoram.

An official statement issued on May 6 said the discussions centred on establishing a men’s hockey academy and expanding training facilities across the state under the “Empowering Mizoram Sports” programme.

Hmar said Mizoram had a strong sporting culture and stressed the need to revive hockey, which he described as one of the most promising sports for India at the international level.

“While Mizos are naturally talented in hockey, the game has seen a decline in recent years. Hockey is one of the most viable routes to securing international medals for India,” he said.

Highlighting the success of the women’s hockey academy at Thenzawl in Serchhip district, the minister proposed setting up a similar academy for men to nurture young talent.

He also sought additional Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres in hockey, badminton, archery and wrestling.

Rao, who also serves as Director General of SAI, assured the state government that efforts would be made to strengthen hockey infrastructure and improve training standards by making better use of existing facilities.

He said the Centre remained committed to promoting hockey as a priority discipline and praised Mizoram’s long-term approach to sports development.

Rao also noted Mizoram’s recent progress in badminton and said the success achieved by Mizo footballers could be replicated in other sports.

He added that several sports initiatives in Mizoram were well-positioned to become Khelo India-accredited training centres.