Imphal : Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Tuesday called for a more focused and results-oriented strategy to build sporting excellence in the Northeast, advocating the ‘One Sport, One State’ model as a framework for long-term growth.

Co-chairing the fourth high-level task force meeting on promotion of sports in the North Eastern region via video conferencing with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Scindia underscored the need to align investment, coaching, and talent development around discipline-specific strengths of individual States.

Emphasising that quality coaching and early talent identification are critical to success, the DoNER Minister stressed the importance of structured grassroots competitions, ranging from village and district levels to State championships. He also proposed the preparation of sport-wise case studies for each State to guide targeted planning, funding, and infrastructure development.

“The focus must be practical and outcome-driven,” Scindia noted, reiterating that structured tournaments and sustained coaching ecosystems were essential to transforming raw talent into competitive excellence.

The meeting was attended by the Mizoram Sports Minister, the Secretary to the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Manipur Chief Secretary, and senior officials from DoNER, State sports departments, and North Eastern State governments.

Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, according to a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan, highlighted that focused training programmes, systematic talent development, and the promotion of local leagues would significantly expand opportunities for young athletes across the region. He said such an approach would not only widen participation but also strengthen the Northeast’s contribution to national and international sports.

Later, the Manipur Lok Bhavan shared details of the deliberations on social media, stating that discussions centred on strengthening sports infrastructure, improving coaching and talent identification mechanisms, promoting grassroots-level competitions, and ensuring inclusive opportunities for aspiring athletes. The emphasis, it said, was on nurturing sporting excellence in a sustainable and region-specific manner.

Notably, Scindia had raised the ‘One Sport Discipline-One State’ strategy during the previous task force meeting last month as well, describing it as a key driver for structured investment and sharper institutional focus in sports development across the Northeast.

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