Assam’s international standard venues to spice up KIUG 2023 contests

Guwahati: The forthcoming fourth edition of the Khelo India University Games 2023 is expected to witness edge-of-the-seat contests at the city’s state-of-the-art venues, designed to match international standards, and boosted by the recent introduction of the High-Performance Sports Training and Rehabilitation Centre at the Sarusajai Sports Complex — the centre of most sporting action at the KIUG.

The successful conduct of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in 2020 was a stepping stone for the state to be rewarded a grander spectacle like the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) where more than 3,500 top athletes from across 200 universities will battle for the top honours over the next 15 days starting from  February 19.

“As far as the venues for the Khelo India University Games are concerned, the stadiums at the Sarusajai Sports Complex are of international standard. The Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium has previously hosted a few FIFA Under-17 World Cup games, the South Asian Games, KIYG and Senior National Athletics championships. Accordingly, the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor stadium has hosted global competitions like the AIBA Women's Youth World Championships, besides the BWF 100 Series Badminton Championships last December”, explained Bokul Kalita, Estate Office, Sports Authority of Assam.

“Similarly, the Dr Zakir Hussain Aquatics Complex recently hosted the senior national swimming championships, besides the South Asian Games and the KIYG. With all the stadiums hosting prestigious events frequently, this is a trailer to the standard of venues expected at the KIUG,” Kalita further said.

While this is only the list of venues at the Sarusajai Sports Complex, there’s a long list of other high standard venues in the rest of the city and across the state in general. The Chachal Tennis Complex that will host the tennis events has been a home to several ITF events over the years. While the shooting range at Kahilipara is the only one in the Northeast, and has hosted a number of national shooting competitions.