Apr 29: The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, inaugurated today Indoor Cricket Academies across six Northeastern states, marking a significant milestone in strengthening India’s sports ecosystem and advancing inclusive regional development. Undertaken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the project spans Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram. The project represents one of the largest coordinated efforts to develop quality cricket infrastructure, with the academies designed as integrated training centres to enable holistic athlete development, broaden access to facilities and strengthen sports development at the grassroots level.
Grant Thornton Bharat served as the Project Management Consultant for the initiative, delivering end to end strategic, technical and execution support across all six locations from concept to commissioning. This included project conceptualisation and feasibility planning, design advisory, cost planning and procurement management, construction supervision, quality assurance, and commercial governance.
Speaking on the engagement, Arjun Singh, Sports Industry Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat, said, “Our priority was clear – quality delivery through planning, transparency, and collaboration. The scale of execution across multiple locations in the Northeast reflects the strength of our collective effort between BCCI, the State Associations, GTBharat and other key agencies. Aligned to our purpose of shaping vibrant Bharat, we are confident that these facilities will amplify the talent potential from Northeast India.”
Each academy is equipped with indoor cricket training facilities, modern gymnasiums, temperature-controlled swimming pools, and a range of athlete support infrastructure, creating a comprehensive environment for training, recovery and performance. Supporting infrastructure such as utilities, water systems, and access infrastructure has been developed to ensure long term sustainability and operational efficiency.
In delivering this, the firm led site identification, design alignment, and contractor selection, coordinating with BCCI and State Cricket Associations to deliver efficient multi state execution across challenging terrains.
Aligned with the vision of a Viksit Bharat, Grant Thornton Bharat focuses on enabling inclusive and sustainable growth through initiatives that expand access, strengthen participation and deliver long term development outcomes. Through this engagement, the firm demonstrates its ability to deliver complex, multi-location programmes while supporting equitable infrastructure development and contributing to holistic athlete development across India’s sports landscape.
