The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur unveiled many infrastructure projects and interacted with the Asian Games-hound athletes during a visit to the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports here on Monday.

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur was welcomed by Senior Executive Director, Col Raj Singh Bishnoi and other dignitaries from NIS. He interacted with the Asian Games-bound athletes of Boxing, Athletics and Kabbadi, besides inaugurating several renovation projects aimed at strengthening sports infrastructure.

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“During the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NSNIS Patiala has received crores of rupees for sports development in the last 1 year. Development projects worth 13 crores have been inaugurated today,” he said.

The Minister inaugurated the projects worth Rs. 13 crore, which included a state-of-the-art weightlifting hall, fitness centre, modern hostels and a guest house. The president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation Sehdev Yadav was also present during the inauguration.

The newly-renovated weightlifting hall has facilities of 26 training stations, modern equipment and all other ancillary facilities for a world-class training centre.

The fitness centre is equipped with world-class Strength and Conditioning and Physiotherapy equipment along with facilities of steam, sauna bath, hydropool and massage therapy.

The Silver Jubilee Hostel aims to provide the best residential facilities to our elite athletes and participants of multinational camps. Golden Jubilee flats or foreign coaches Hostel has been renovated and furnished for elite foreign coaches and the NIS guest house is upgraded with modern facilities.

In an informal interaction, the Minister discussed with athletes about their Asian Games preparations and imparted motivation to refine their skills and mental resilience for the upcoming Asian Games, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports informed in a release on Monday.

The Minister discussed logistic issues faced by athletes during preparations. The athletes showed immense satisfaction towards the upgraded facilities and infrastructure. Thakur expressed great faith in India’s capability of achieving new heights in the Asian Games medal tally this year.

Thakur said, “For the past few years, India has done exceptionally well in all sports. Today our sportspersons are bringing laurels to India on the world stage. I have full faith that India will do exceptionally well in the medal tally in the upcoming Asian Games also.”

Earlier on Monday, the Union minister handed over letters of appointment at the Rozgar Mela in IISER Mohali.