Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates Assam’s largest multi-sport complex along with ₹1,715 crores of other projects
Phase one alone, costing approximately ₹238 crore, unveils world-class indoor facilities, a swimming pool, and dedicated arenas for football and tennis.
Assam has been blessed with a new multisports stadium to foster rural and youth talent. The first phase of the largest multi-sports stadium in Assam, the Khanikar Stadium in Dibrugarh, was inaugurated on January 30, 2026, by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This is a landmark move for sports development in Northeast India, and it is significant for its alignment with the national development, along with the youth empowerment agenda, spearheaded by Khelo India. Shah also stipulated phase two and other venture projects, including the foundation stone for a second legislative assembly complex and MLA hostel, together costing ₹1,715 crore.
The Khanikar Sports Complex
The complex is to be built across 104 bighas (approximately 33 acres), at Khanikar, Dibrugarh, and is envisioned as the largest multidisciplinary center with a proposed 30,000 seating capacity. Phase one shall consist of an indoor stadium, a swimming pool, a football field, various courts, and hostel facilities. In phase two, sports tracks, central playgrounds, and international standard facilities will be expanded, aimed at hosting national/international events.
Tomorrow, Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah ji will inaugurate the first phase of Khanikar Stadium.
— Dipayan Chakraborty (@Dipayan_Silchar) January 29, 2026
Set to become the largest stadium in Assam and the entire North-East, this state-of-the-art facility marks a historic step forward for Assam in the world of sports. pic.twitter.com/PyoQgfvfy1
Project cost
Phase one cost was around ₹233-₹238 crore, and phase two will cost approximately ₹209 crore, racking upto total cost to more than ₹440 crore. It is one of the best investments in sports made by the Assam government through state and central government funds, and focused on sustainable design using high-mast lighting and modern facilities.
Assam’s major sports infrastructure and its significance
In Assam, there are more than 30 sports facilities funded by the government, such as stadiums, indoor halls, and complexes such as the ₹49 crore Saboti Sports Complex in Lakhimpur, the ₹38 crore Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports School, and others in Jorhat, Tinsukia, and Majuli. Programs, such as the Uttaran scheme plan, which is planning 33 more stadiums, and the Khelo India projects, increase access at the grassroots with swift growth.
The Khanikar Stadium makes Dibrugarh a sports hub in the Northeast, as it develops talents, training, and events, and competes with Sarusajai in Guwahati. It boosts the economy through sports tourism, hospitality employment, and involvement of the youths, it lessens migration to cities, and makes Assam a part of the Olympic atmosphere in India.