Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced the development of a swimming pool at Dibrugarh University in Assam during the 'Khelo India Dialogue' event on August 27, 2026. The announcement came directly in response to a student's suggestion highlighting the need for swimming facilities in the flood-prone region of Dibrugarh and adjoining areas. Sonowal emphasized that the swimming pool would serve dual purposes: promoting swimming as a competitive sport and providing essential water-safety and life skills training for students in a region susceptible to flooding.
Additionally, Sonowal announced a national sports excursion for the university's top-performing athletes, which will provide exposure to premier national sports training ecosystems and insights into high-performance training practices. The event featured an address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to nearly 8 lakh youth across the country, focusing on making sports integral to everyday life and building a healthy, strong, and self-reliant India. Indian football legend and former national team captain Baichung Bhutia also participated in the program, interacting with students and adding to the sporting focus of the event.
Sonowal highlighted the Modi government's initiatives such as Khelo India and Fit India, emphasizing the goal to deepen sporting culture within educational institutions, provide better infrastructure and exposure for young athletes, and create opportunities for youth from Assam and Northeast India to compete at national and international levels. The practical suggestion from the student was praised as reflecting the awareness and thinking the government wants to encourage among young people, with the swimming pool project representing infrastructure that addresses both sporting and regional safety needs.