Sri Vijaya Puram, Jan. 7: The Director General of Police, A&N Islands, Shri Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, IPS, inaugurated the Khelo India Centres (KICs) during a formal ceremony held today at the APU Police Line Complex, Sri Vijaya Puram. The Kayaking & Canoeing Centre at APU Police Line was inaugurated physically, while the Boxing Centre at the IRBn Headquarters Campus, Port Mout, was inaugurated virtually, marking a significant initiative towards strengthening sports infrastructure and youth development in the Islands.
The ceremony was attended by Smti Sindhu Pillai, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Smt. Geeta Rani Verma, IPS, Inspector General of Police, along with other senior officers of the Andaman & Nicobar Police.
The Khelo India Centres have been established with the approval of the Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, through the Khelo India Scheme under the aegis of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), for one district with two sporting disciplines—Kayaking & Canoeing at APU Police Line, Sri Vijaya Puram, and Boxing at IRBn Headquarters Campus, Port Mout. All statutory and procedural formalities, including funding support, finalization of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), execution of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), and engagement of Past Champion Athletes (PCAs)/Coaches, have been duly completed.
In line with Khelo India Centres (KIC) guidelines, two Past Champion Athletes—one for each discipline—were appointed. Talent identification trials conducted as per Khelo India Scheme and SAI norms for the 12–18 years age group led to the selection of 37 trainees in Kayaking & Canoeing and 18 trainees in Boxing.
The Khelo India Centres aim to provide structured, scientific, and sustained sports training to talented youth, fostering excellence and nurturing future champions from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. During the interaction, the Director General of Police encouraged the athletes and trainees to pursue sports with dedication and discipline.