Arunachal Pradesh Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mama Natung has said that the youths of the state have huge potential in the field of games and sports and that the state is committed to give all facilities to the sportspersons by improving infrastructure and technical guidance.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the third junior state-level Hornbill Kabaddi Championship here at Marik Academy in Chimpu, Natung said Arunachalese are born sports-persons, what they need is polishing and proper technical guidance to be successful in the field.

He opined that Kabaddi players from the state will bring laurels for the state.

Natung said the state government and Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju are committed to produce reputed sportspeople and also improve sports infrastructure in the state.“In the next 10 to 15 years, we will have Olympic medallists from the state,” he said, adding that in the coming decades, Arunachal will be the sports powerhouse of the country.

The minister said the state government has set up a National Centre of Excellence for sports and will be imparting training to youths in five to six sports disciplines. The funding will be done by the centre and the training has already begun, he said.

Under the Khelo India programme, three state centres of excellence will be coming up in Miao, Pasighat and at Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy, Itanagar. He said the state government is committed to take every possible step to prepare sportspeople to enable them to compete in international events.