Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Uttar Pradesh  to lay the foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University. Ahead of the ceremony, he visited the Augurnath temple and paid floral tribute at the Shahid Smarak. Modi was accompanied by Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

 Visuals shared online showed the three leaders pay their respects at the Shahid Smarak in Meerut before visiting the Government Freedom Struggle Museum on the premises. A huge crowd, chanting ‘Modi- Modi’, had gathered along the side of the road as the PM made his way to the event. Modi accepted the greetings and was seen waving back at the crowd from inside his car.

“Meerut was Major Dhyan Chand’s ‘karmsthal‘. Centre named the country’s biggest sports award after him and now Meerut’s Sports University will be dedicated to Major Dhyan Chand ji,” he said during an address following the inaugural ceremony.

Hitting out at previous governments in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said that criminals and mafias used to play and “tournaments of illegal land grabbing happened” in earlier years. “This university worth Rs 700 crores will provide international sports facilities to the youth. Every year, more than 1000 girls and boys will graduate from here,” he noted.

As per an earlier press release from the Prime Minister’s office, the new university will be established at an estimated cost of around Rs. 700 crore. The Sports University will be equipped with modern, state-of-the-art sports infrastructure including a synthetic Hockey ground, Football ground, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, Kabaddi ground, Lawn tennis court, Gymnasium hall, Synthetic running stadium, Swimming pool, Multipurpose hall, and a Cycling Velodrome. It will also house facilities for Shooting, Squash, Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Archery, Canoeing, and Kayaking.