Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually inaugurated an indoor cricket academy network spanning six Northeastern states, underscoring a renewed focus on sports infrastructure and grassroots development in the region. The launch was carried out from Gangtok, with new indoor facilities rolled out in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. The initiative is supported by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is intended to ensure uninterrupted practice even during the area\u2019s long monsoon season.<\/p>\n
From Gangtok, Modi formally introduced state-of-the-art indoor academies across the six states\u2014Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. The projects are designed to keep training schedules on track throughout the year, particularly when heavy rainfall disrupts outdoor activity for extended stretches.<\/p>\n
At the Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium in Imphal, the Manipur Cricket Association\u2019s indoor academy was highlighted as a flagship venue for year-round development. The academy is equipped with three dedicated practice strips, a gymnasium, administrative spaces and a swimming pool, creating a complete training environment aimed at supporting high-performance preparation.<\/p>\n
Manipur Cricket Association secretary Lairenjam Geetranjan Singh described the opening as a \u201chistoric moment\u201d for the state\u2019s cricketing future, saying the facility will reshape the sporting landscape in Manipur. Singh said the academy will help players train continuously, with particular benefit during the rainy season, without needing to travel out of the region.<\/p>\n
Singh also stated that the BCCI will cover maintenance and operational expenses for the next two years. He pointed to recent achievements as evidence of the state\u2019s growing strength, noting that Manipur reached five domestic finals in 2025 and claimed two Under-19 titles.<\/p>\n
In Arunachal Pradesh, the indoor academy at Doimukh\u2014developed in partnership with the Arunachal Cricket Association\u2014was praised as a \u201clandmark day\u201d by president Nabam Vivek. Vivek said the project could serve as a turning point because monsoon conditions in the region typically last between six and seven months. He also stressed the importance of having stadiums that can host domestic competitions.<\/p>\n
Senior player Techi Doria supported the sentiment, explaining that training during the rainy season had long been a challenge. With the new facility in place, he said such difficulties would be avoided, and it would encourage players to maintain consistent practice.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the event, Modi said investments in infrastructure like these will \u201cnurture local talent, provide better training opportunities and strengthen the Northeast\u2019s growing sports ecosystem.\u201d He was in Gangtok on an official visit and, earlier in the day, also launched multiple development projects, highlighting the Centre\u2019s commitment to expanding sporting and infrastructure capabilities across the region.<\/p>\n
The inauguration reflects a broader push to build year-round training pathways for budding cricketers in the Northeast\u2014an approach that can complement franchise-league pathways like the IPL by improving the pipeline of players trained in structured environments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually inaugurated an indoor cricket academy network spanning six Northeastern states, underscoring a renewed focus on sports infrastructure and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL News: Modi Inaugurates Indoor Cricket Academy in NE","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Modi inaugurates an indoor cricket academy network in India\u2019s Northeast\u2014new facilities across six states, backed by BCCI to boost grassroots talent.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n