G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Athletic stadium in Gachibowli, India
G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium is a sports venue with an eight-lane running track, a football field, and a cantilevered roof structure. The facility includes dedicated spaces for media operations and technical support services.
The stadium was built in 2002 by the N. Chandrababu Naidu government to host the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, which opened there before more than 30,000 spectators. It is named after G. M. C. Balayogi, the sitting Speaker of the Lok Sabha who died in an air crash.
On 26 December 2010, about 2,800 Kuchipudi artistes performed the centuries-old dance form at the stadium, a mass performance staged to earn a place in the Guinness World Records. The Kuchipudi style takes its name from the village of Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh.
The stadium sits beside the International Institute of Information Technology in Gachibowli, with the west block holding the entrance porch and lobby, the media centre and press box, and the VIP lounges. Spectator stands are under a cantilevered roof with an unobstructed view, and high-mast lighting serves day-night events. Access is through three service entrances and one players' entrance.
The stadium was named after G. M. C. Balayogi, the sitting Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who died in an air crash. Its west block holds the media centre, press box, scoreboard control room and VIP lounges, so most match-day operations run from that side.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,677 contributors worldwide.
