Why in News?
Near the historic Nalanda ruins, the Rajgir Sports Complex is being developed as a state-of-the-art sporting hub to nurture next-generation athletes, with the aim of producing Olympic-level talent by 2036.
Location: Rajgir, ~20 km from Nalanda ruins, ~100 km south of Patna.
Area: 97.9 acres.
Cost: ~₹770 crore.
Sports Disciplines: Facilities for 23 sports (indoor & outdoor), including world-class hockey arenas and a 45,000-seater cricket stadium (BCCI standards).
Residential Training: On-site academies with hostels for students and athletes.
Upcoming Events:
Hosted Women’s Asian Champions Trophy (2024).
Men’s Hockey Asia Cup likely in Aug 2025 (8 teams incl. Pakistan).
Special Features:
Scenic hill surroundings; compared to US Colorado facilities.
Targeted as a sports tourism destination.
Bihar aims to have a player from the state represent India at the 2036 Olympics.
Sports complex intended to act like Haryana’s wrestling hubs or Hyderabad’s badminton academies in producing champions.