Bhojpur: A 75-acre international-standard sports complex is set to be developed in Koilwar in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, in what officials describe as one of the state’s most ambitious sports infrastructure projects to date. The facility will come up at New Haripur under Koilwar block and is being spearheaded by Takshashila Educational Society under its ‘Pahal’ initiative.
The integrated campus is designed to provide training in 29 indoor and outdoor sports disciplines under one roof, offering athletes access to world-class infrastructure within the state. The move is expected to significantly reduce the need for players to travel outside Bihar for advanced coaching and competitive preparation.
Ravindran Shankaran, director general of the Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA), said the project could mark a turning point for the state’s sporting culture. He noted that athletes from Bihar have increasingly performed well at national and international competitions, and that structured institutional support is now essential to sustain that progress. According to him, the Koilwar complex will provide the environment and facilities necessary to nurture emerging talent.
Chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit described the project as critical to Bihar’s long-term sporting ambitions. He said its impact should become visible within three to four years and expressed hope that athletes trained at the facility could compete at the highest levels, including the 2036 Olympic Games. He also suggested that three or four similar complexes may be required across the state to build a robust sports ecosystem.
Former chief secretary Anjani Kumar said Bihar has no shortage of talent but has historically struggled with limited infrastructure. The new complex, he said, will create opportunities for athletes to train in a professional setting. He highlighted its proximity to Bihta airport and Patna as a strategic advantage, adding that the campus should be developed as a green zone to ensure sustainable growth.
According to the master plan, the complex will house more than 45 modern facilities, including multiple playing fields, a synthetic running track, indoor halls, a shooting range, a medical centre, an administrative block, security infrastructure, parking spaces, a cafeteria and residential hostels. A detailed blueprint of the campus was presented during the project announcement.
Training will be offered in disciplines such as archery, badminton, basketball, boxing, chess, fencing, football, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, rugby, swimming, squash, table tennis, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling, among others. Officials say the project represents a decisive step towards sporting self-reliance in Bihar and a long-term investment in competitive excellence.
