Uttarakhand has been entitled with the responsibility of hosting the 38th National Sports Events in 2018. For the liability to meet the International Standards the state government had sponsored the construction of a colossal International Stadium in Raipur, Dehradun. The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has been constructed with a budget taking 237 crores which were financed by the State Government alone.
The stadium is all set to be inaugurated on the 16th of December 2016 by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat. The Uttarakhand Sport’s Minister Dinesh Aggarwal addressed a press conference on 13th December 2016 about the details of the stadium. The state has resourced every brick of the stadium with their capital without taking any grants from the Centre.
The inaugural ceremony will be graced by the presence of eminent cricket personalities such as Suresh Raina, Umang Sharma, Praveen Kumar and Piyush Chawla. A cultural program will be followed by a 20 – 20 match between the states Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The match will be held with a sociable spirit as a tribute to sportsmanship. The singing sensation Abhijeet Sawant is also going to perform at the ceremony.
The stadium covers a vast area of about 23 acres and has ten pitch grounds. Out of the ten pitch grounds, five of them are for practices and the other five will be for the matches to be held. Also, the one of a kind feature of The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is the use of textile polymer and high tensile strength materials other than metal for the construction of the stadium roof.
The blueprint of the stadium was made such that it is spread out in the shape of “Aipan” which is a well-known native Kumaoni art form. The stadium is well equipped with floodlighting for late night matches. It has an enormous spectator capacity of twenty-five thousand.
The east wing of the stadium will be given the name of the present captain of Indian Cricket Team MS Dhoni who belongs to Uttarakhand.
It has about more than thirty corporate sections. A lounge and restaurant add on to the list of facilities available for sports person at the newly built stadium. Next in line to add to the glory of The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is the clubhouse. The entire south spectator area with the most lavish and serene setting has been dedicated to The Club House. It has recreation facilities like bowling, billiard, and a well-equipped gymnasium. An auditorium with the seating capacity for hundred is also part of the clubhouse.
The State is concerned and truly committed for the smooth functioning of the stadium and so many tenders are being advertised. It is a proud moment and a priceless embellishment for the Uttarakhand State.