Petition to

Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma

Hon'ble Minister of Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Assam

Board of Sports of Assam

Ramrai Indoor Stadium, Barpeta, was built with public funds to promote grassroots sports—not to become financially inaccessible to the very youth it was meant to serve.

Since 1 July 2026, badminton coaching and court management at the Government-owned stadium have been operated under a franchise-based model. Following this change, coaching fees have increased dramatically—from ₹700 per month to as high as ₹12,000 per month. Senior players who earlier paid ₹1,000 per month merely to use the courts for practice are also affected by the revised fee structure.

In addition, Corporate Booking Charges have been introduced, making access to a public sports facility increasingly commercial in nature.

Barpeta is predominantly a rural and economically modest district. Many talented children come from middle-class and financially weaker families. For them, these charges are simply unaffordable.

This situation runs contrary to the spirit of the Khelo India programme, which seeks to promote sports at the grassroots level by ensuring that every talented child has access to quality sports infrastructure, irrespective of economic background.

Another matter of concern is that Ramrai Indoor Stadium was originally conceived as a multipurpose indoor sports complex. Over the years, it has hosted badminton, karate, boxing and other indoor sports. Athletes now fear that the stadium may gradually become an exclusive badminton facility under a franchise-based model, limiting opportunities for other sporting disciplines.

This petition is not against Olympian Shri Dipankar Bhattacharjee or any individual. We deeply respect his contribution to Indian badminton. Our appeal is solely to protect the public character of a Government-funded sports facility and ensure that it remains accessible to all.

Public sports infrastructure should serve the interests of athletes—not become a financial burden upon them.

Our Demands

We respectfully urge the Government of Assam to:

1. Discontinue the franchise/privatization model at Ramrai Indoor Stadium and restore Government management.

2. Restore affordable user charges, keeping sports accessible for children and youth from all economic backgrounds.

3. Constitute a Local Stadium Management Committee comprising:

•The Hon'ble MLA of the constituency.

•The District Commissioner, Barpeta.

•The District Sports Officer.

•Representatives of recognised district sports associations.

•Eminent local sportspersons.

4. Ensure transparency in stadium administration, including fee determination, facility usage and future policy decisions.

5. Provide qualified coaching and maintain high sporting standards in accordance with the vision of grassroots sports development.

Why This Matters

Every child deserves the opportunity to dream, train and excel—regardless of family income.

Government-funded sports infrastructure must remain a symbol of equal opportunity, not financial exclusion.

If today's young athletes are denied access because of unaffordable fees, tomorrow's champions may never get the chance to emerge.

Let's protect Ramrai Indoor Stadium as a true public institution for the youth of Barpeta and future generations.