₹75-crore High Performance Centre launched at SAI Bengaluru; Karnataka pushes for NIPER

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya lays foundation for advanced sports facility, while Karnataka urges Centre to establish a national pharma institute in the state.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for a new High Performance Centre at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters in Bengaluru, marking a major boost to India’s elite sports ecosystem. The state-of-the-art facility will be built at a cost of ₹75 crore, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) contributing ₹60 crore through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds. Officials said the centre is expected to become operational within the next 12 months.

The upcoming High Performance Centre will house advanced sports science infrastructure aimed at supporting elite athletes. Facilities will include athlete rehabilitation units, biomechanics labs, mental and physical performance assessment systems, nutrition and performance analysis centres, hydrotherapy units, and other modern support systems essential for high-level training and recovery.

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Meanwhile, Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M.B. Patil, has appealed to the Central Government to establish the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in the state. In a letter addressed to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Patil highlighted that although the Centre had earlier considered setting up NIPER in Karnataka, the proposal did not materialise.

Emphasising Karnataka’s strength in science and pharmaceutical research, Patil pointed out that the state is a national leader in biotechnology and healthcare. Bengaluru alone hosts over 400 biotechnology institutions, along with premier centres such as the Indian Institute of Science, the National Centre for Life Sciences, and institutes focused on bioinformatics and applied biotechnology. The state has also rolled out initiatives like the Bio Innovation Centre and a structured BT policy to support startups.

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Patil noted that Karnataka accounts for 60% of India’s biotech companies and contributes 12% to the country’s total pharmaceutical exports. With a strong network in clinical research, medical devices and API manufacturing, he urged the Centre to approve NIPER, assuring full support from the state government, including land, infrastructure and partnerships, to fast-track the project.