Balangir: Top players of the district continue to dominate the lawn bowls circuit in Odisha, underscored by the recent valedictory ceremony of the world-class Lawn Bowls Arena at the R N Singh Deo Sports Complex. The event was graced by veteran leader Shri Anang Uday Singh Deo, who was instrumental in the conceptualization and development of the facility during the BJD Government under Shri Naveen Patnaik.
The new arena is a first-of-its-kind facility in Odisha, specifically designed to foster grassroots talent and provide a professional platform for competitive athletes. The project gained momentum through a strategic collaboration between Shri Anang Uday Singh Deo and Sunayana Singh, the daughter of former Indian Olympic Association President Shri Randhir Singh. During her tenure as the head of the Bowling Federation of India, she provided extensive support to help realize the vision of a dedicated bowls facility in the region.
The focus on infrastructure is already yielding significant results on the field. Balangir has emerged as a powerhouse in the sport, with its players consistently outperforming other districts. In the most recent state championships, Balangir teams made a clean sweep of several categories, securing multiple gold medals and reinforcing the district’s status as a hub for the sport.
The facility was recently officially inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Shri K V Singh Deo. While the two leaders represent different political affiliations—with Shri K V Singh Deo of the BJP and Shri A U Singh Deo of the BJD—their combined efforts have prioritized the sporting future of the region. The development aligns with the national objective of the Bowling Federation of India to popularize the sport and establish proactive state associations across the country.
With this high-performance center now fully operational, young players from Balangir are reaping the benefits of professional training environments. The arena is expected to serve as a cornerstone for future national and international aspirants from Odisha, ensuring the state remains at the forefront of the lawn bowls movement in India.
In fact, The state-of-the-art Lawn Bowls Arena at the R N Singh Deo Sports Complex has become the primary training ground for a talented cohort of athletes who have recently propelled Balangir to the top of the leaderboard in Odisha.