Naidu visits Singapore Sports School, announces bold push for sports-driven development in Andhra Pradesh

Sports can serve as a powerful catalyst for tourism and commercial growth, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said during his visit to the Singapore Sports School on the second day of his official tour of the City State on Monday (July 28).

Accompanied by badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, ministers and senior officials, the Chief Minister toured the facility and had a discussion with school principal Ong Kim Soon.

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s commitment to fostering world-class athletes, Mr. Naidu stated that the State has rolled out a comprehensive Sports Policy aimed at developing both talent and infrastructure while attracting investments. “Sports schools should serve not only as hubs for training elite athletes but also as centers for entertainment, tourism, and economic activity,” he observed during his interaction with the school’s leadership.

The Chief Minister shared that Andhra Pradesh is investing heavily in sports incentives. “We have increased the sports quota in government jobs from 2% to 3%, and we now offer significant cash rewards for medal winners,” he said. Athletes securing Olympic gold medals are awarded ₹7 crore, silver medalists ₹5 crore and bronze medalists ₹3 crore. Additionally, medal winners at the Olympics and Asian Games are eligible for Group-1 officer posts.

To enhance the State’s sporting ecosystem, Mr. Naidu revealed plans to develop a Sports City in Amaravati and establishment of Integrated Sports Complexes in Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, and Amaravati. He also announced the proposed setup of dedicated sports schools modeled after the Singapore Sports School in Kadapa, Vijayawada, and Vizianagaram.

During the visit, Mr. Ong Kim Soon explained Singapore’s approach to cultivating sports excellence. “We admit students into the Singapore Sports School at age 12 and train them under a high-performance sports system with elite standards and structured partnerships with national sports associations and academies,” he noted.

The visit underscored the Andhra Pradesh government’s determination to position the State as a national leader in sports development, leveraging global best practices and institutional collaborations.