Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India is a strong contender to host the 2036 Olympics and announced plans for a nationwide talent identification programme aimed at building a stronger pipeline of athletes for the Games.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Modi said India must not only seek the opportunity to host the Olympics but also improve its participation across disciplines. The proposed talent hunt will cover children between five and 15 years of age and seek sporting prospects from across the country. Those identified will receive specialised training with the aim of developing them into world-class athletes.
"India is making space for itself in the world of sports. We hear our national anthem frequently and see our tri-colour going up very often. TOPS has achieved great success. Whether it is Khelo India Games, University Games, Beach Games, Winter Games, or sports training, sports medicine, sports nutrition, India is moving ahead at great pace," Modi said.
He highlighted the progress made through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014, while also pointing to the areas where India needs to improve.
"India's performance is improving, and we are strong contenders to become an Olympic host in 2036. We are hosting the CWG in 2030. There are about 40 disciplines in Olympics, with nearly 350 events. It is sad that we don't compete in at least two third of these events because we are not even able to qualify," he said.
"We have decided that in 2036, we should have participation in at least three fourth events. We are launching a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 to identify prospects in every corner of the country. They will get special training to become world class athletes," he added.
The outcome of India's 2036 Olympic bid is expected to be known only in 2029. Ahmedabad, which is hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games, is also in contention to stage the 2036 Olympics.
The proposed talent identification drive is expected to make extensive use of Artificial Intelligence. The technology will assist with fitness battery tests designed to assess areas including cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, speed, agility, flexibility, balance and movement.
The idea had already been under consideration earlier this year, with PTI reporting in January that the government was exploring a nationwide talent hunt in preparation for the 2036 Games. The broader objective was to identify athletes who could help India improve its presence in disciplines where it has traditionally struggled, particularly aquatics and cycling.
The scale of the opportunity is significant. Aquatics alone will feature 55 medal events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while rowing will have 45 medals across 15 events. Cycling will offer 66 medals across 22 events. India is not expected to qualify for any of the aquatics events in Los Angeles, while rowing and cycling also remain areas where the country has considerable room for growth.
The proposed approach draws parallels with China's preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. China significantly strengthened its presence in disciplines such as boxing, canoeing and archery and went on to win a record 100 medals at the Games. For India, aquatics, cycling, rowing and gymnastics are expected to be among the key areas targeted under the expansion plan.
The new initiative would also build on the existing Khelo India Talent Development (KITD) scheme, which identifies promising athletes and provides a pathway towards Khelo India Academies, national camps and other elite-level programmes. According to the Sports Ministry, India currently has 1,067 Khelo India Centres across the country. The government believes a wider talent search could uncover children with sporting potential who may otherwise never get an opportunity to pursue competitive sport.
"Not every school-going kid would know his sporting capabilities or take to sport naturally. But if we are able to take our talent hunt nationwide through basic tests to understand individual capabilities, we might find kids who are good at sport but don't yet know about it," a government source had told PTI in January.
Modi also called for India to become a more prominent destination for major international sporting competitions.
"Duniya ke sports events Bharat mein kyu na hon? (Why should global sports events not be held in India)," he asked.
The Sports Ministry, led by Mansukh Mandaviya, has already prepared a calendar featuring 11 international competitions in India over the next six months. The schedule includes the Badminton World Championships, which begin in India on Monday.
With the 2030 Commonwealth Games already secured and the 2036 Olympics bid still under consideration, the government is looking to combine hosting ambitions with a broader effort to expand India's sporting talent pool and participation across Olympic disciplines.
