Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Sports Minister Rekha Arya inaugurated India’s only international-standard ice skating rink at Maharana Pratap Sports College on Monday. The ice rink, which had been shut for nearly a decade, has been redeveloped at a cost of around ₹6 crore. Additionally, a new equestrian ground built at a cost of ₹599 lakh was also inaugurated at the same venue.
CM Dhami stated that these two new sports facilities mark a moment of pride not only for Uttarakhand but for the entire nation. He recalled that the rink, built in 2011, had previously hosted the South-Eastern Asian Winter Games, which saw participation from India, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. However, the rink was closed due to poor maintenance. The state government revived the project as part of its vision to develop Uttarakhand as a “sports hub.”
Foreign engineers were brought in for the rink’s redevelopment. To power the facility sustainably, a 1-megawatt solar plant has been installed, making the rink align with the “Green Games” initiative. The Chief Minister hailed the rink as not only the largest in India but also the biggest in South Asia.
Sports Minister Rekha Arya mentioned that many top-tier sports infrastructures have been developed during the ongoing National Games. The inauguration of the ice rink and the equestrian ground further enriches the state’s sports legacy. The Ice Skating Federation of India has submitted a proposal to host national and international-level competitions at the new rink. To mark the inauguration, an exhibition ice hockey match was also held. Raipur MLA Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’, Special Principal Secretary Amit Sinha, Additional Secretary Prashant Arya, and former athletes were present on the occasion.
