For students aspiring to be top-notch sportspersons, the biggest challenge often is how to navigate through the education environment that focuses more on academics and very less on sports. The result is often promising athletes and sportspersons are lost to academic pressures.
This scenario is likely to change as Lucknow gears up to get a first-of-its-kind private school to be affiliated to CBSE Board. Being promoted by the group that owns and operates the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari International Cricket Stadium (Ekana) Stadium, this upcoming school will be different from the existing Guru Gobind Singh Sports College, which is a government entity. It will be a private school with international-level facilities and students (KG to Class 12) will be trained under the watchful eyes of professional coaches and dieticians, said a sports professional aware of the development.
“The construction began last month, and we aim to complete the project by October this year. The school will be spread across 2.5 acres, featuring a four-storey building. It will be a co-educational institution, and classes are scheduled to begin from the 2026-27 academic session. We have already applied for affiliation and other formalities with the CBSE Board,” said Uday Sinha, chief managing director of Ekana Sportz City.
“The school will offer both residential and day scholar options. While day scholars practise their chosen sports during the day, residential students will attend academic classes. Later, when the day scholars leave, hostellers will use the sports facilities. This scheduling will help our coaching staff closely monitor each student’s progress,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The school will offer both residential and day scholar options. While day scholars practise their chosen sports during the day, residential students will attend academic classes. Later, when the day scholars leave, hostellers will use the sports facilities. This scheduling will help our coaching staff closely monitor each student’s progress,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Former CBSE chairman Ashok Ganguly welcomed the initiative, saying, “A CBSE-affiliated school in Lucknow focused on sports is a positive step. There is a need for more such institutions. In today’s globalised world, it’s important to foster non-cognitive skills alongside cognitive skills.”
Anurag Shukla, a journalist, said: “We need more schools like this where students are actively encouraged to pursue sports. Several educational institutions abroad offer scholarships to students who excel in athletics.”