Haryana’s Kurukshetra University Receives ₹1 crore Grant From State For Major Sports Upgradation

Haryana truly justifies the title ‘nursery of Indian sports’, churning out elite-level athletes year after year. From Olympic champions Neeraj Chopra and Sakshi Malik to cricketing icons Virendra Sehwag, the state’s sporting legacy continues to shine on the global stage. Haryana’s dominance is just as evident in flagship programs like Khelo India, where it consistently finished in the top 3 over the last three editions. But with around 66 universities, only a few, such as Kurukshetra University (KU), regularly make a mark in the umbrella programs like Khelo India University Games. Backing that vision, the state government continues to invest heavily in university-level sports, recently sanctioning ₹1 crore to boost infrastructure and development.

The state allocated ₹1 crore specifically to the university for upgrades to international standards.​ Work progresses on a modern shooting range with advanced facilities, alongside a completed hockey Astroturf under Khelo India and state schemes. Plans include synthetic athletic track construction, a dedicated archery range, floodlight upgrades for basketball and volleyball courts, synthetic flooring in the indoor hall, an international-standard boxing ring, and an all-weather swimming pool.

“This financial support will play a vital role in modernising sports facilities at the university in line with global benchmarks. Kurukshetra University has always been at the forefront of education and sports, and through this centre, we aim to groom future champions capable of competing at platforms like the Olympics,” University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Som Nath Sachdeva said.

Current developments in the institute

Director of Sports Prof. DS Rana shared some exciting updates for sports fans. The hockey Astroturf built under Khelo India and state schemes is now ready, while a modern shooting range is being constructed with advanced facilities. Plans are also in place to upgrade floodlights at basketball and volleyball courts, add synthetic flooring in the indoor hall, build an international-standard boxing ring, and finish an all-weather swimming pool. Work on a synthetic athletics track will start soon, and a special archery range has already been set up on campus.

The university campus is spread over 500 acres, with approximately 21.3 acres accounting for the total area of the sports complexes. The campus has indoor complexes for volleyball, basketball, and badminton. It also consists of a multipurpose hall with indoor facilities and PVC Synthetic flooring. The campus has a standard 400-metre grassy track and lacks a dedicated synthetic track for athletics. It also has a double-story shooting range with 80 targets, which will now be updated with modern facilities after this grant. But this isn't the first time that the university has been backed by the state to ensure athletes keep getting world-class facilities.

Back-to-back grants for KU

In 2024, The Tribune reported a ₹8 crore grant under the Khelo India project for the construction of an all-weather Olympic-sized swimming pool at the institute. The then-existing swimming pool was built in 1976 with Olympic standards, with its water filter plant recently changed at a cost of ₹20 lakh. Officials at the university argued that since it wasn’t an all-weather pool, athletes weren’t able to train during the winter. They argued that the athletes weren’t able to win competitions due to a lack of practice, and swimming contributes significantly to the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) trophy.