Odisha CM Announces ₹1,000-Crore Sports Complex at Gothapatana

Odisha’s Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, just unveiled some big plans for sports in the state. Speaking at the closing session of a two-day sports conclave, he said the government is going to invest more than ₹4,000 crore into building new, modern stadiums—one in every block across Odisha. On top of that, he announced a top-tier multi-purpose sports complex for Gothapatana in Bhubaneswar, with ₹1,000 crore set aside for its construction.

He made these announcements at the end of ‘Chintan Shivir-2026,’ a gathering organized by the Department of Sports and Youth Services. The conclave brought together everyone from sports administrators to athletes, policymakers, and experts. They spent two days hashing out ways to build a stronger sports ecosystem in Odisha and boost the state’s presence on the international stage. Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj also took the stage during the event.

Chief Minister Majhi spoke about reaching out into rural areas, promising to expand the ‘Chief Minister’s Trophy’ initiative. This program aims to spot and train talented young athletes right at the grassroots—with better access to advanced training. Majhi said by 2036, these efforts will help Odisha’s athletes rise as world champions. He’s set on moving the state beyond its reputation as just a great sporting host. The bigger goal for Odisha is to become a consistent factory for world-class athletic talent.

He also highlighted Odisha’s track record of hosting international events and announced what’s coming up next. After successfully staging a Bronze-level international athletics competition last year, Odisha is gearing up to host the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event this year. Farther down the road, the state’s already working on bringing in two major competitions in 2028: both the World Athletics Championships and the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships.