Guwahati: The Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Assam, in partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), has launched a Coaches Orientation & Development Programme along with a Talent Identification initiative in Guwahati from January 18 to 23, aimed at strengthening the state’s athletics ecosystem and supporting India’s Olympic ambitions.
The programme is being led by former Olympian and World Championships medallist Troy Douglas, Head Coach of IIS Athletics. Adding further Olympic expertise, renowned coach Dr Klaus Bartonietz, who guided Neeraj Chopra to India’s historic Olympic gold medal, is also associated with the initiative and will participate in specialised sessions and talent evaluation.
The on-ground activities are being held at the Arjuna Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex, where athletes and coaches are training under national and international experts. As part of the programme, 150 under-18 athletes from across Assam have been identified through a state-wide scouting process, while 11 athletics coaches from seven districts are undergoing training under a World Athletics–aligned curriculum.
The programme focuses on modern coaching methods, sports science integration, nutrition, recovery, and long-term athlete development. It builds on an earlier phase conducted at the IIS Centre in Vijayanagar, Karnataka, where Assam’s coaches received intensive training in scientific coaching and performance planning.
The Department of Sports, Assam, and IIS have also announced plans to establish a satellite athletics centre in Guwahati, which will function as a junior training and development hub and create a clear pathway for promising athletes to progress from grassroots competition to elite national and international platforms.
