Bhubaneshwar: Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated a high-performance centre (HPC) for badminton at Kalinga Stadium here on Thursday. The centre, created in a three-way collaboration between the state of Odisha, Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation (PGBF), and Dalmia Bharat Group, will be known as the ‘Dalmia Bharat Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy.’
Around Rs 75 crore was spent on the high-performance centre by Dalmia Bharat Group. It took four years to complete. The construction is an architectural marvel, featuring a pioneering shuttlecock-inspired design, a first of its kind in India, said official sources. Biswa Sarma, who is also the president of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), said, “This HPC has long been a cherished dream of BAI. I hope Odisha will lead badminton in the country in the coming days,” he added. Puneet Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Bharat, said, “We are delighted to present the people of the state with an iconic facility that will nurture future champions.”
Majhi said a world-class multipurpose stadium will come up at Gothapatna in the capital city on an area of 120 acres.