Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets 2036 olympic target, announces nationwide talent hunt program
New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday set an ambitious target for Indian sport, saying the country should aim to compete in at least three-fourths of all events at the 2036 Olympics while announcing a nationwide talent identification programme for children aged 5 to 15.
On Independence Day, Modi spoke to the nation from the Red Fort and said that India’s progress in the field of sports has sped up in recent years, with the country becoming more prominent on the international stage. He emphasized that the next move should be to expand the pool of talent so that Indian athletes can qualify in a much wider variety of Olympic events.
“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,” PM Modi said in his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort in New Delhi.
Modi stated that India has now become a strong candidate for hosting the 2036 Olympics and will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. At the same time, he noted that India’s involvement in various Olympic disciplines is still limited since athletes usually do not qualify.
“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 are not able to even compete in at least two thirds of these events because we are not even able to qualify,” he added.
The Prime Minister stated that India should extend its sporting foundation and work on producing athletes who are capable of taking part in a greater variety of disciplines. To implement this strategy, the government will start a nationwide search for talent in order to detect sporting ability at an early age.
“We have decided that in 2036, we should participate 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 said.
The programme is expected to involve spotting promising young people from all parts of the country and giving them access to special training as well as the kind of support necessary for them to become elite athletes. The initiative is intended to establish a stronger supply of talent in view of India’s long-term Olympic goals.
The announcement is made at a time when India is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, the official transfer occurring at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Glasgow Games. The Ahmedabad Games will be India’s second Commonwealth Games organisation after the event was held in New Delhi in 2010.
The 2030 Games are expected to offer India another important opportunity to improve its sporting infrastructure, discover emerging athletes, and gain valuable experience in view of the 2036 Olympics. The Narendra Modi Stadium complex is one of the main venues around which the Ahmedabad Games will be focused.
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