The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) of Assam is set to build a world-class sports academy in the region, a step seen as a major boost for sports development in Bodoland. BTC Chief Pramod Boro announced that the Union government has approved the project, which will be established in Udalguri district at a cost of Rs 187 crore. Addressing reporters, Boro said the region had long awaited such a development. “We have been demanding a world-class stadium in Bodoland for several years. Now, we have received two major projects — a Rs 110 crore football stadium from the Assam government in Kokrajhar, and the Rs 187 crore sports academy from the Union government in Udalguri,” he said.
The new sports academy will include facilities like a football stadium, cricket ground, and athletics track. Boro expressed hope that these facilities would help nurture young talent in Bodoland and prepare them for international competition. Boro also reflected on the region’s troubled past marked by violence and conflict. “Earlier, Bodoland was known for killings and unrest, and people had lost hope for peace. But since the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Bodoland has seen a new era of peace and development,” he said.
Highlighting the progress, Boro noted the region has hosted the Durand Cup football tournament three times, and football is now the most popular sport in Bodoland. The BTC government recently organized the CEM Cup football tournament with 3,760 teams and over 67,000 players participating — an achievement praised by the Prime Minister in his Mann Ki Baat program.Several notable footballers, such as Halicharan Narzary, Sibra Narzary, and Apurna Narzary, hail from Bodoland, and the council plans to continue promoting football as a key sport.