Nelson Mandela, the Nobel laureate for peace and former president of South Africa, said in one of his speeches, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair…” But to inspire the next generation, we need the right professionals to lead and coach them in sports.

It is with this as one of the missions that the National Sports University, Manipur, was set up in 2018. The University is presently functional from its temporary campus at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex of Imphal. Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone for the University’s proposed 325 acre campus at Imphal West, on 16th March 2018. Dr. Najima Heptulla, Governor of Manipur, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore (Retd.), AVSM, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Youth Affairs & Sports, were also present on the occasion.

The National Sports University will have the flexibility to open new schools/departments in consonance with the advances and developments in sports science, sports medicine, and allied areas. The University, once developed, will be the first one of its kind to promote sports education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management, and sports coaching. It will also function as the national training centre for selected sports disciplines by adopting the best international practices by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with international universities. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has already signed MoUs with the Universities of Canberra and Victoria in April 2017.