CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has inaugurated a Rs 42.90-crore Olympic aquatics academy at Pirappanvalasai village in Ramanathapuram district, bringing multiple Olympic water sports training facilities under one roof.
According to a Maalaimalar report, Chief Minister Vijay inaugurated the academy through video conferencing during the closing ceremony of the Chief Minister's Cup sports competition in Chennai on Thursday (October 29).
The academy will offer training in Olympic water sports disciplines, including sailing, canoeing, surfing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. It will also have facilities for water polo, artistic swimming and rowing.
The infrastructure includes accommodation for 40 athletes, 10 rooms for coaches, a gymnasium, yoga room, physiotherapy centre, boat parking facilities, a boat hangar and an open-air lounge. Classrooms equipped with modern technology will enable coaches to use video analysis to assess and improve athletes' performance.
The academy's location along the coast is expected to provide favourable conditions for water sports training. The relatively shallow coastal waters, extending up to five kilometres, are considered suitable for beginners, while the region's wind and wave conditions offer opportunities for advanced training. Calm sea conditions for around six months of the year are also expected to attract athletes from across India and abroad.
The facility has been designed to allow coaches to monitor athletes from the shore through large windows overlooking the sea. It is also equipped to host international-level competitions.
Officials expect the project to generate employment opportunities for local youth and members of the fishing community while strengthening Tamil Nadu's sports infrastructure. The academy was designed by architect Keshub Manavalan.
In another sports infrastructure initiative, the Chief Minister inaugurated a multi-purpose sports complex constructed at a cost of Rs 20 crore on the premises of the Government Engineering College in Karupur, Salem district
The Salem complex, spread across approximately 18 acres, includes a 400-metre athletics track, football and hockey facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, tennis courts, a skating rink, a gymnastics arena, a gymnasium, a swimming pool and an indoor sports arena. It also has an administrative office, a sports hostel and a cafeteria.
The facility will be open to district youth, college students and the general public for sports training and related activities.
Both projects are aimed at strengthening sports infrastructure across Tamil Nadu, expanding access to professional training and supporting the development of athletes capable of competing at national and international levels.