| Photo: AFP |
India’s Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has outlined the country’s vision of hosting the 2036 Olympics and finishing in the top 10 in the medal tally, in an initiative to engage the country’s youth in India’s development goals.
Speaking at an event, he spoke to local college students in Maharashtra’s Pune region about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047 – which also includes being ranked among the top five in internships.
“Along with the vision for the next 25 years for the development of the country, we have also made a vision for sports that India wants to host the 2036 Olympics,” Mandaviya said. “And when India becomes a developed nation by 2047, the target is to make the country among the top five in the world in the sports sector.”
As part of this ambitious plan, the government will launch projects like Olympic Podium Yojana (TOP) and KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification) targeted at promoting athlete development. The central government aims to identify young talent in schools and fund their training to achieve international exposure. “We have to produce world-class players… We have started Khelo India to develop this talent. With the help of Khelo India, young players should be given a chance to play.”
We have to identify sports talents and provide them with the necessary facilities. These talented people will become athletes like Swapnil Kusale in the coming days.”
Paris Olympics bronze medallist shooter Kusale was present at the event.
Mandaviya spoke about the other podium finishers in Paris, as well as those who missed out on a medal, and was confident they would do better next time.
“This time, India won six medals (at the Paris Olympics) but eight players finished fourth. The athletes who finished fourth will improve their performance and aim to be in the top three in the next Olympics.
India has won 29 medals at the Paralympics, up from 19 in the previous edition. The Paris Olympics was India’s third-highest medal haul ever, with historic wins by shooter Manu Bhaker, who became the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics, and wrestler Aman Sehrawat—the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Olympics.
