Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is making strong efforts to host the 2036 Olympic Games, alongside the 2030 Commonwealth Games, to give athletes more competitive opportunities.
Modi said sports reforms, increased budgets, and hosting major international events reflect a broader shift towards an athlete-centric sports ecosystem in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India was gearing up in full strength to host the 2036 Olympic Games and asserted that his government was committed to giving “more and more players greater opportunities to compete” by bringing major sporting events to the country.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 72nd Senior National Volleyball Championship via video conference, Modi said the government was making sustained efforts to expose young athletes to Olympic sports, adding that initiatives such as Khelo India were proving to be a game-changer in identifying and nurturing talent.
"The 2030 Commonwealth Games will be held in India, and the country is making strong efforts to host the 2036 Olympics, with the aim of giving more and more players greater opportunities to compete," said Modi.
"Through the Khelo India campaign, hundreds of youth have had the chance to advance to the national level," he added.
Highlighting schemes such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), the Prime Minister said these initiatives were transforming India’s sports ecosystem by strengthening infrastructure, funding systems and global exposure for young athletes. He noted that India’s growing stature in global sport was evident from the fact that the country had hosted more than 20 major international competitions over the past decade.
"India has hosted more than 20 major international events across several cities, including the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, Hockey World Cup, and major chess tournaments." Recalling a time when both the government and society were largely indifferent to sports, he said the past 10 years had witnessed a major shift in mindset.
"The government has significantly increased the sports budget, and today India's sports model has become athlete-centric, with focus on talent identification, scientific training, nutrition, and transparent selection, ensuring that the interests of players are prioritised at every level," he said.
"Today the nation is riding on the 'reform express', with every sector and every development destination connected to it, and sports being one of them," he said.
"India's progress is not limited to the economic front but is also reflected in the confidence seen on the sports field. India's performance across various sports has consistently improved since 2014," he added.
Detailing reforms undertaken by his government in the sports sector, Modi said the National Sports Governance Act and the Khelo Bharat Policy 2025 would help ensure that opportunities reached the right talent while improving transparency in sports bodies.
He said these measures would also enable young people to progress simultaneously in both sports and education.
Modi expressed satisfaction over Varanasi’s emergence as a key sporting destination, saying the hosting of the National Volleyball Championship had placed the city firmly on the country’s sporting map.
The tournament, scheduled from January 4 to 11, will feature more than 1,000 players representing 58 teams from across the country.
"Hosting the National Volleyball Tournament in Varanasi underscores the growing emphasis on strengthening sports infrastructure and promoting athletic development in the city." Drawing a parallel between volleyball and the nation’s growth, Modi said, "I see so many parallels between India's development story and volleyball." "Volleyball teaches us that no victory is achieved alone. Our success depends on our co-ordination, our trust, and our team's readiness. Everyone has a role to play, a responsibility to fulfill. And we only succeed when everyone performs their role diligently and seriously. Our country is also progressing in the same way."
(with PTI inputs)
