Modi Nagar, June 9, 2025: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, on Saturday inaugurated the residential wing of the Weightlifting Warriors Academy — the centre where Olympic Silver Medalist Mirabai Chanu trains — marking a significant milestone in India’s Olympic preparations for 2036.
The state-of-the-art facility, established by Chief National Coach Shri Vijay Sharma in September 2024, will now provide accommodation for up to 60 athletes in 30 fully equipped rooms. Currently, 40 young athletes aged 8-14 years and 15 elite athletes are also training at the academy.
Speaking at the inauguration, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs & Minister of Minority Affairs, Government of India, Shri Kiren Rijiju congratulated the team and expressed his confidence in the academy, saying: “I would like to congratulate the team at Weightlifting Warriors that the residential centre has opened… I am not just wishing you all good luck, but I have faith that a great champion will emerge from here. I have seen a lot of academies in my life… but the way Mr. Vijay has run this academy with dedication, and the way they work hard to make it a success, I have never seen that anywhere else.”
Olympic Silver Medalist Mirabai Chanu , who trains at the academy, expressed her commitment to mentoring the next generation: “The 2036 Olympics is not just a dream for us, it is a commitment for our country. My young athletes, remember that when you train, you take the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians with you.”
Chief National Coach Shri Vijay Sharma , founder of the academy, shared his vision: “The dream I had of an academy has come true today… With Mirabai’s training, these kids can learn something and perform well in the next Olympics.”
The academy operates under the Khelo India Scheme with support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sports Authority of India, Olympic Gold Quest, and the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). The facility features world-class training amenities, including a modern gymnasium, recovery zones with steam, sauna, and ice bath facilities, and is staffed by seven coaches, three physiotherapists, and two certified masseurs.
