Tirupati: The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) has taken a major step towards strengthening sports infrastructure in the State by starting work on a modern weightlifting academy in Tirupati. The facility will be only the second of its kind in the country after the famous academy in Patiala.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the academy was held on Friday at Sri Srinivasa Sports Complex in Tirupati. SAAP Chairman Animini Ravi Naidu performed bhoomi puja for the project.

The academy will be built at a cost of Rs 5 crore and will meet national-level standards. It will include a state-of-the-art weightlifting hall and a residential hostel for sportspersons. Once completed, the hostel will be able to accommodate around 200 athletes, while weightlifting hall will be designed to train about 80 players at a time. A gymnastics hall and a large meeting hall with a capacity of 150 people will also be part of the complex.

In addition to weightlifting, the academy will provide facilities for other indoor and outdoor sports such as judo, lawn tennis, badminton and chess. A residential training centre will also be developed so that athletes can receive comprehensive training at one location. Speaking to The Hans India on the occasion, SAAP Chairman Animini Ravi Naidu said the State government is giving top priority to the development of sports. He said that after Patiala, Tirupati has been chosen to host such a high-quality training centre, which will help young athletes receive advanced coaching and modern facilities.

He expressed hope that young weightlifters in the state would take inspiration from Olympian Karanam Malleswari and aim to excel at national and international levels. Identifying talented athletes and providing them with quality coaching and modern equipment will be the main goal of the academy, he said.

Ravi Naidu said the new facility will help Tirupati emerge as a major sports hub not only in Andhra Pradesh but also at the national level. The academy would be highly beneficial for local youth as well as district- and state-level athletes.

The SAAP Chairman assured that construction work would be completed quickly and the academy would be made fully operational by June 2026. He called upon athletes to make full use of the facilities, train with discipline and dedication, and bring medals and recognition to the state in the years to come.