New Delhi, February 08, 2024: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday inaugurated an air-conditioned indoor swimming pool at Delhi Sports School in Civil Lines in north Delhi and said the construction of Delhi government’s 80-acre sports university in Mundka would be completed within three years.
Kejriwal said that the new university will offer training to 2,500 students across 20 Olympic sports and would take around three years to be functional.
Currently, 172 students are being trained in 10 Olympic sports such as weightlifting, and boxing, at the Delhi Sports School, which was established in 2023. He added that once the university is fully operational, it can provide training to students in up to 20 Olympic sports. Currently, the space in Mundka hosts the office of the university.
“There is a lot of talent hidden in the children of our villages, but so far, no one has supported that talent. If that talent is supported, we can defeat any country in the world in competition… Behind the establishment of Delhi Sports University, we have a very big vision. This university is being built in Mundka on about 80 acres of land, where 2500 students will be enrolled. It may take about three years for the university to be established. For now, Delhi Sports School has been established, and training in 10 Olympic sports is being provided here,” Kejriwal said.
Karnam Malleswari, the first woman Olympic medalist of India, was appointed the vice-chancellor of the university.
The fully residential Delhi Sports School at Sham Nath Marg in Civil Lines has been set up as an incubator to identify and nurture talent from an early age, officials said and was designated as one of the Schools of Specialised Excellence, with classes from 6 to 12. It is affiliated with the Delhi Board of School Education, offering a specialised sports-centric curriculum to enhance the overall educational experience.
“This country desires that all the medals in these 20 Olympic sports should come to India. All the children have passed through very difficult tests to reach here… more than 10,000 applications were received, out of which only 170 children have been selected… we will support them,” the CM said.
