The world’s largest cricket stadium, at Motera in Ahmedabad, was renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday. It was inaugurated on Wednesday by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and others.
The inauguration was done hours before the start of the day-night third Test between India and England, the first international match at the new venue.
The stadium is part of sprawling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave which will have the world’s largest cricket stadium, Natatorium, Athletics/ Track and Field/Football stadium, Field Hockey & Tennis Stadium, Indoor Sports Halls/Arenas, Outdoor Fields Veldrome/ Skating Area spread over 200 acres on the Sabarmati river bank in the North East of Ahmedabad.
The refurbished stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad, set up by the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), is the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had conceived it as President of GCA and Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2014 to demolish the old stadium completely and rebuild in its place a new one which would be the largest in the world with the best of facilities.
Plaque at the Motera stadium announcing the renaming of the stadium as the Narendra Modi Stadium, February 24, 2021 | Photo Credit: Mahesh Langa
The old stadium with 49,000 seating capacity was known as Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium, Motera.
Spread over 63 acres, it is the largest cricket stadium with a seating capacity of 1,10,000.
Last year on the same day, PM Modi had hosted US President Donald Trump in a mega event “Namaste Trump” at the stadium.