New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the transformation of India’s sporting ecosystem, saying the country’s three best performances at the Asian Games had come in the last 12 years.
Addressing the Indian contingent that returned from the 2026 Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan during an interaction with PM Modi at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, Mandaviya said the government’s initiatives, improved opportunities and greater transparency in athlete selection had strengthened Indian sport.
“Over the past 12 years, you have established sports not merely as a sector but as a national movement. In recent years, your approach towards sports has changed, the ecosystem has transformed, opportunities have increased and, most importantly, the confidence of young Indian athletes has grown. All this has been possible because of your visionary thinking and determination,” Mandaviya said.
The Sports Minister said PM Modi had consistently prioritised the transformation of sports, adding that initiatives such as the Fit India Movement, Khelo India and the National Sports Governance Act had contributed to the development of a more coordinated sporting ecosystem. “Under your leadership, the Fit India Movement, the Khelo India policy and the National Sports Governance Act have come into being. These initiatives have helped develop a vibrant ecosystem for sports,” he said.
Mandaviya noted that the government, National Sports Federations (NSFs) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) were increasingly working together to advance Indian sport.
He also referred to the approval of a Rs 36,000-crore Khelo India scheme for the next five years, saying the investment reflected the growing importance of sports in the government’s vision of a developed India.
Highlighting changes in athlete selection, Mandaviya said the process had become more transparent under PM Modi’s leadership, giving deserving players greater opportunities to demonstrate their abilities at the international level.
“Under your leadership, transparency has also come into the selection process. The selection process is now conducted openly, on camera and in the presence of observers. This fair selection process is providing capable athletes with opportunities to showcase their talent at the international level,” he said.
Mandaviya said 310 members of India’s 501-strong contingent at the Asian Games were making their debut at the continental event. Of these debutants, 106 won a combined 41 medals, highlighting the emergence of a new generation of Indian athletes.
He added that the contingent had an average age of just 25, underlining the potential of India’s young sporting talent.
India finished fourth in the medal standings at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
Mandaviya highlighted several milestones achieved by Indian athletes, saying the country won 22 medals across 14 sports in which it had not previously won medals at the Asian Games. He also pointed to the women’s contingent winning a combined 47 medals, along with seven national records, six Asian records and one world record set by Indian athletes during the competition.
“These achievements reflect the strength of our emerging young talent and the progress being made in Indian sports,” he said.
The Sports Minister further credited PM Modi’s leadership for India’s growing role as a host of international sporting competitions, saying the country had hosted 40 international sporting events over the preceding 18 months and was scheduled to organise 10 more global events in the coming months.
He said India had also secured hosting rights for the 2029 Police and Fire Games and the 2030 Commonwealth Games, while continuing its efforts to bring the 2036 Olympic Games to the country.
Mandaviya said India’s ambitions extended beyond improving its medal tally to establishing itself as a destination for major international sporting events.
He also recalled PM Modi’s earlier interaction with athletes, during which the Prime Minister had remarked that players were the group he had met most frequently during his 12 years in office.
According to Mandaviya, this sustained engagement had helped create a strong bond between the prime minister and India’s sporting community, with athletes considering Modi a close friend.
The interaction at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium brought together athletes, coaches, support staff and officials from the IOA, National Sports Federations and the Sports Ministry following India’s fourth-place finish at the continental event.
–IANS
sds/bsk/
