INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (2) laid the foundation stone for a sports university in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Major Dhyan Chand Sports University will be established at Salawa and Kaili villages on the outskirts of the Sardhana town of Meerut district at an estimated cost of about Rs 7 billion (£69 million).
It will be equipped with modern sports infrastructure including synthetic hockey ground besides those of football, basketball, volleyball, handball and kabaddi.
It will also have a lawn tennis court, gymnasium hall, synthetic running stadium, swimming pool, a multi-purpose hall and a cycling velodrome.
The university will also house facilities for shooting, squash, gymnastics, weightlifting, archery, canoeing and kayaking, among other facilities.
It will have the capacity to train 1,080 sportspersons - 540 females and 540 males.
The prime minister earlier viewed exhibits and also tried his hands on a few fitness gadgets.
(PTI)