New Delhi: Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) existing Sports Training Centre in Shillong is set to be upgraded to a High Altitude Training Centre (HATC), sports ministry sources said on Thursday. Although the timeline of the project hasn’t been set yet, the exercise will be undertaken at the cost of ₹150 crore, to be funded by National Stock Exchange (NSE) through their CSR programme.
Once completed, the HATC will be the third such facility in India. As of now, SAI campuses in Shilaroo, Himachal Pradesh and Ooty in Tamil Nadu serve as the only HATCs. While Shilaroo centre is 2,450m above sea level, the Ooty facility sits at 2,240m. The Shillong HATC will be at an elevation of 1,496m and will cater to over 450 athletes. High altitude training is known to enhance aerobic capacity and endurance and the benefits span athletics, swimming, rowing, cycling, boxing and wrestling.
“Shillong offers a number of natural advantages. Add to it the institutional strength of SAI and the Shillong centre will soon become India’s flagship HATC and a cornerstone of the nation’s long-term Olympic ambitions,” a ministry official told HT.
“Shillong’s sub-20°C year-round temperature permits outdoor training in all seasons while clean mountain air aids recovery. The surrounding hills and natural trails are ideal for endurance and cross-country conditioning. Shilaroo centre usually hosts high-altitude camps for boxers while Ooty centre is a preferred choice for middle and long distance runners. The upcoming HATC will support physiological adaptation, recovery optimisation, and acclimatisation for high-altitude competition,” the official added.
The new and improved centre will have a dedicated sports science building, an elite athletes’ residential complex, an indoor heated swimming pool, and natural training trails. The existing eight-lane 400-metre athletic track, football field and infrastructure will also be upgraded.
The Shillong HATC will serve as a national high-performance asset, strengthening India’s preparation for the Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games.
The ministry is also working on a coaching upgradation programme. “We are short of roughly 750 coaches. We plan to get 250 coaches through direct entries the rest on deputation. Former athletes who are employed with the government or PSUs will be encouraged to join the system. We will obviously upgrade them and train them,” the official said.
Plans are also afoot to get foreign coaches to come to India and hold workshops for their Indian counterparts. “We need to integrate sports science in our grassroots coaching. As of now there’s a telling gap which we need to bridge quickly,” the ministry official said.
