Mizo Sports Minister Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar Meets HCL and World Bank Representatives

New Delhi : Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar, Minister of State for Sports & Youth Services, held discussions with officials from the HCL Foundation and the World Bank at their offices, focusing on initiatives for Mizoram’s progress.

While in New Delhi, Sports Minister Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar met with Col. Gopal Karunakaran, CEO of Shiv Nadar School, and representatives of HCL at their Noida, UP campus. During the meeting, he emphasized Mizoram’s commitment to contributing to India’s vision for the 2036 Olympics. “Mizoram possesses immense talent in sports, but due to budgetary constraints, we cannot fully unlock the potential of our youth. We are eager to partner with organizations to support them effectively,” he said. He highlighted that sports play a critical role in fostering discipline, unity, and resilience among the Mizo people.

The Minister further elaborated that Mizoram was among the first Indian states to organize a Sports Conclave aligned with the 2036 Olympics vision. The state is already implementing sports coaching and talent discovery projects to cover every part of Mizoram comprehensively. Under the government’s Handholding Scheme, substantial investments have been made. He shared the progress of two state-run football academies, which have become some of the best in India, producing numerous national-level players. Efforts are underway to further enhance the academies’ infrastructure and performance standards.

The Shiv Nadar CEO and HCL officials expressed their appreciation for the Minister’s visit and outlined their CSR-driven initiatives to support sports development across various states. They acknowledged Mizoram’s achievements in sports and suggested a collaboration between Mizoram’s sports academies and Vidyagyan Academy in Noida to share best practices. Discussions were held on devising sustainable plans for future sports development.

Later in the day, Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar also met with Pi Benedicté, Lead Economist at the World Bank, at their New Delhi office. They discussed the broader impact of sports development in Mizoram, including its potential to boost tourism, urban development, healthcare, and social harmony. The Minister stressed the importance of collaborative efforts between the World Bank and the Government of India to formalize actionable plans for Mizoram’s growth in these areas.

Joint Secretary Pu John Tanpuia and PS Pu H. Lalramenga accompanied the Minister during the meetings.