Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today opened India’s first indoor aquatic center and indoor sports center at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, giving swimming and athletics in the country a significant boost. In addition, he placed the Indoor Diving Center’s cornerstone.
The first facility in India equipped to host indoor continental and regional championships is the Indoor Athletics Centre. The Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Centre, which was founded in collaboration with the Reliance Foundation and has been producing young athletes who are champions, will use this top-notch facility as a training ground.
The centre boasts a 10,000-square-meter track, installed by the renowned Italian firm, Mondo SpA, used in Olympics, marking a pioneering feat within the country. The centre includes a 200-meter synthetic track, an 80m+20m running track, and designated areas for long jump, triple jump, pole vault, and shot-put, each meticulously designed to meet specific athletic requirements.
Accommodating the needs of high-performance athletes, the facility features 60 twin-sharing rooms for those undergoing full-time coaching. Its iconic stature was solidified with the esteemed Category 1 certification from World Athletics in December 2023.
