MP to establish first tribal women’s sports academy

Bhopal: In a push to harness the raw athletic potential of tribal women, Madhya Pradesh sports department is set to establish MP's first world-class Tribal Women's Sports Academy in Mandla. This pioneering facility, the only one of its kind nationwide, will spotlight untapped talent in five disciplines, capitalizing on the state's bronze medal haul at the recent National Games. The academy aims to train 320 boarding and 160 day-boarding athletes, scouted via intensive talent hunts. Focus areas include football, archery, athletics, gymnastics, and women's cricket. "Tribal communities overflow with sporting grit, but they've long been starved of top-tier infrastructure to compete on national and global stages," said sports minister Vishwas Sarang. He added, "Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Department is actively assessing the feasibility of a Tribal Women's Sports Academy in Mandla district. Tribal community's has vast potential and the state government is committed to their empowerment in education, health, and sports. If standards and facilities are met, approval will follow. The academy will empower tribal daughters to excel in sports, shape their futures, and honor the state and nation. A detailed study is underway for location, resources, and infrastructure," said Sarang.At its heart lies state-of-the-art infrastructure rivaling international benchmarks: a World Athletics-certified 400m, 8-lane synthetic track with warm-up zones; a FIFA-approved synthetic football pitch; a 70m Olympic-standard archery range plus indoor hall; a FIG-compliant gymnastics arena; and a full international cricket ground with indoor nets.A High Performance Center will equip athletes with cutting-edge sports science, including labs for biomechanics, video analysis, recovery protocols, sports psychology, nutrition, strength conditioning, and anthropometry. District sports officer Mandla Vikas Kharadkar who has prepared the proposal said, "A dedicated tribal academy can make wonders."On-campus hostels will house 320 female athletes (with provisions for male trainees), alongside quarters for 30 staff. Driving the program is a 92-strong expert team: five head coaches and 15 assistants, five fitness specialists, three physiotherapists, two nutritionists, two doctors, two video analysts, two masseurs, 40 support personnel, and 15 administrators.Gear will meet global standards, from FIFA-spec football equipment (goalposts, nets, flags, scoreboards) to elite archery bows, athletics implements, gymnastics apparatus, and cricket essentials like bowling machines, turf wickets, bats, balls, and stumps. This ambitious venture promises to transform tribal sports in the country, potentially capturing the talent in Madhya Pradesh for winning the international medals.