Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur has said that the government is confident that the athletes who will represent the country in the Paris Olympics 2024 will bring the India’s best result in any Olympic Games. The Paris Olympic Games is scheduled to be held in August this year.
Following is the full interview of the Union Minister by PIB India.
With Paris Olympics scheduled in August 2024, what are your thoughts on the preparations of the Indian Team. What medal count India can expect this time?
Anurag Singh Thakur: We have whole heartedly supported our athletes to secure qualification and prepare well for Paris 2024. While we do not have a particular number in mind, I am confident that our athletes will come home with India’s best haul in an Olympic Games. Our athletes are fearless and compete on equal terms with the best in the world. We have left no stone unturned in ensuring that maximum Indian athletes qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and are well prepared. More than 350 foreign exposure trips for training and competitions were sanctioned in select Olympic disciplines in this Olympic cycle. It has encouraged the athletes to be ready to deliver their best performances without facing the pressure of expectation.
What is the qualification scenario right now?
Anurag Singh Thakur: As of now, 58 of our athletes have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. For the first time, both the men’s and women’s Table Tennis teams have earned places in the Olympic Games draw. Similarly, India has won a quota each in women’s Skeet Shooting and in Equestrian (Dressage) for the first time.
What has changed over the years in Government’s approach to sports development?
Anurag Singh Thakur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always motivated athletes to compete fearlessly in keeping with the brave new India that is emerging as a world leader in many areas. One of the most important things that has changed since Rio is the ease of business for the athletes. Their proposals for training and competition are cleared faster than ever before, sometimes even in the matter of hours. Ministry and National Sports Federations have begun the process of identifying disciplines and events in which India can develop medal-winning potential beyond those which have already delivered results on the global stage and can get better. We have encouraged sports like cycling and swimming which offer many medals to step up and contribute to the tally.
What about funding? How much money has the Government been spending on sports development?
Anurag Singh Thakur: As for investment, suffice to say that the Government has enhanced the size of the Ministry’s budget three times in the past decade from Rs 1,093 crores in 2013-14 to Rs 3397.32 crores in 2023-24 and the right support at the right time is being extended to athletes. Besides the government budgetary support, corporate and private investments in sports through CSR funds have also contributed to the evolution of Indian sport.
Government seems to have invested a lot in Khelo India. Has it produced the desired results?
Anurag Singh Thakur: Of course, the Khelo India Scheme has delivered results. It is not just a scheme, it has become a nationwide movement. One of the major objectives of Khelo India is talent identification and development through structured training. We currently support over 2800 athletes who are given an annual scholarship of Rs 6.28 lakhs to support their training, boarding, lodging, out-of-pocket allowance for their own expenses. Every year new athletes are added to this scheme and there is a constant monitoring of performance which ensures that regular weeding out also takes place.
Can you throw some light on the sports infrastructure development in recent years?
Anurag Singh Thakur: The backbone of any sports ecosystem is infrastructure, both in terms of facilities and human resources. There is a need to take modern sports facilities to the doorstep of the grassroots talent as it will ensure that athletes are nurtured closer home than away. Just for creation and upgradation of sports infrastructure, Rs 1,879 crores have been allocated till 2024-25 by the Ministry of Finance. It is our endeavor to optimally use sports infrastructure belonging to States/UTs through suitable Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Provision of maximum funding to the State Centres of Excellence and Khelo India Centres is being done for priority sport selected by the State under the “One State, One Game” initiative.
The Prime Minister has also spoken about hosting the Youth Olympics in 2030. What is the plan regarding that? Has any city been identified?
Anurag Singh Thakur: Yes, we are eager to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2030 ahead of the Summer Olympics in 2036. However, we are at the planning stage right now and initial discussions are going on. We will plan as per the requirements of the International Olympic Committee and the conversations with the Future Hosts Commission have been positive.
The government has announced its intention to bid for the 2036 Olympics. Could you please tell us about the current state of engagement with the IOC with respect to bidding for Olympics?
Anurag Singh Thakur: At the historic IOC session that took place in Mumbai in October 2023, PM Modi announced that India is keen and all out efforts are being made to organise the 2036 Olympics and 2030 Youth Olympics in India. We are working in close coordination with the Indian Olympic Association and are in talks with the IOC Future Hosts Commission to make a strong recommendation in favour of the Indian bid. In fact, we already have had two rounds of productive discussions with the Future Hosts Commission.
Is there any real benefit of hosting such events and other international competitions in India?
Anurag Singh Thakur: The time is ripe for the country to step up on the world sports landscape. The hosting of multi-discipline sports competitions can improve India’s image and in the past few years, we have successfully hosted many international sporting competitions such as the FIFA U-17 Men’s and Women’s World Cup, 44th Chess Olympiad, FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup amongst other events. Conducting a major sporting event offers home athletes – both elite and junior – to witness sporting competition of the highest level on home soil while being able to participate in the comfort of known conditions. Also, this strengthens the overall sports ecosystem in the country and motivates host cities and citizens to move towards healthier lifestyles. Hon’ble PM Modi has envisioned that India will emerge as an international sporting hub by 2036 and the Indian sports economy would be valued at Rs 1 lakh crores in the coming years with our youth being the primary beneficiaries.
As India aspires to host Youth Olympics and Olympics, the country would be looking to achieve success in terms of more medals? What kind of investment is needed? What disciplines are being identified where India can maximise their chances of winning medals?
Anurag Singh Thakur: Ministry and National Sports Federations have begun the process of identifying disciplines and events in which India can develop medal-winning potential beyond those which have already delivered results on the global stage and can get better. We have encouraged sports like cycling and swimming which offer many medals to step up and contribute to the tally. As for investment, suffice to say that the Government has enhanced the size of the Ministry’s budget three times in the past decade from Rs 1,093 crores in 2013-14 to Rs 3397.32 crores in 2023-24 and the right support at the right time is being extended to athletes. Besides, corporate and private investments in sports through CSR funds have also contributed to the evolution of Indian sport. We wish to break into the top 10 in the Olympic Games medal tally and we believe that we can achieve this target.
Government seems to have invested a lot in Khelo India. Has it produced the desired results?
Anurag Singh Thakur: Of course, the Khelo India Scheme has delivered results. It is not just a scheme, it has become a nationwide movement. One of the major objectives of Khelo India is talent identification and development through structured training. We currently support over 2800 athletes who are given an annual scholarship of Rs 6.28 lakhs to support their training, boarding, lodging, out-of-pocket allowance for their own expenses. Every year new athletes are added to this scheme and there is a constant monitoring of performance which ensures that regular weeding out also takes place.
Can you throw some light on the sports infrastructure development in recent years?
Anurag Singh Thakur: The backbone of any sports ecosystem is infrastructure, both in terms of facilities and human resources. At the macro level, it supports the participation of citizens and, at the micro level, it encourages India’s best talent to deliver impactful performances on the international stage.
The need to take modern sports facilities to the doorstep of the grassroots talent is acute as it will ensure that athletes are nurtured closer home than away. It is such a thought that has led to 331 projects, costing more than Rs 3,000 crore being sanctioned since 2016.
With Paris Olympics scheduled in August 2024, what are your thoughts on the preparations of the Indian Team. What medal count India can expect this time?
Anurag Singh Thakur: We have whole heartedly supported our athletes to secure qualification and prepare well for Paris 2024. While we do not have a particular number in mind, I am confident that our athletes will come home with India’s best haul in an Olympic Games. Our athletes are fearless and compete on equal terms with the best in the world. We have left no stone unturned in ensuring that maximum Indian athletes qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and are well prepared. More than 350 foreign exposure trips for training and competitions were sanctioned in select Olympic disciplines in this Olympic cycle. It has encouraged the athletes to be ready to deliver their best performances without facing the pressure of expectation. As of now, 58 of our athletes have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
