Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Narangpura, Ahmedabad, dedicating the ₹825-crore facility to the nation.
Calling sports the “soul of India,” Shah said the new complex would inspire athletes to aim for global excellence. He added that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Indian sports had seen “major reforms,” including transparent selections, advanced training, and opportunities to compete internationally.
The complex, one of the largest in the country, is equipped with an aquatics stadium, an indoor multi-sports arena, outdoor courts, a Fit India Zone, and a Sports Centre of Excellence. Even before its inauguration, it had hosted the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship and is scheduled to stage the Asian Aquatics Competition.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel called the inauguration a landmark moment for Gujarat’s sporting growth, citing recent legislative steps like the Sports Governance Bill 2025 and the National Anti-Doping Amendment Bill. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya added that such infrastructure was crucial for realising the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” through sports.
Over the past two decades, Gujarat’s sports budget has risen to ₹486 crore, enabling the creation of 23 sports complexes across 21 districts. In Ahmedabad, work is also underway on the 233-acre Sardar Patel Sports Enclave near the Narendra Modi Stadium, along with a Para Athlete High-Performance Centre for differently-abled athletes — initiatives the state government says underline its push to build world-class infrastructure.
Published on Sep 15, 2025
