Top spot: On the new phase of the Khelo India Scheme
One of the biggest impediments to India’s aspiration to bid for the 2036 Olympics is the lack of enough world-class performers. For India, a prospective host, targeting a prestigious top-10 finish is a humongous task. In the 21st century, the country achieved its best-ever result of 48th with seven medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and was 71st with six medals at Paris 2024. India needs to win approximately 30 to 40 medals, including gold in double digits, to be in the elite club. To chase this Olympic dream, the Union Cabinet has approved an allocation of ₹29,054 crore — an eight-fold increase — for the new phase of the Khelo India Scheme. The primary goal of this ambitious grassroots programme is to tap talent early for the 2036 Olympics. It aims to increase Khelo India centres, State and National centres of excellence and accredited academies from roughly one per district — more than 1,000 centres at present — to an average of two or three. Involving schools and clubs, encouraging talented children to compete in club-level events, upgrading facilities, and assimilating grassroot-coaches and technical officials are essential ingredients of the wholesome scheme. A novel concept of upgrading the knowledge of local coaches by helping them overcome the language barrier posed by English, the formation of a National Coach Accreditation Board to standardise coaching and better utilisation of physical education teachers are expected to impart correct training at the basic level. In sync with the National Education Policy, the Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalaya initiatives are designed to integrate education and sports. The existing Khelo India Athletes programme, with 2,904 athletes, and the new Emerging Khelo India Athletes initiative aim to expand the talent pool to around 28,000. Talent identification, digitisation of the sports ecosystem to maintain data on every athlete, and a bottom-to-top communication channel are its key components. The overall outlay, including assistance to National Sports Federations, stands at a staggering ₹36,441 crore for 2026-31. However, the biggest challenge will be effective and transparent implementation of the scheme. Enabling talent to graduate to the highest level, already backed by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, with an eye on the 2036 Olympics and beyond will be crucial. The 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad will be an immediate test. The other major hurdle for India’s attempt to emerge as a sporting power is its dubious distinction as a doping hub. Strict anti-doping measures, promotion of a sports culture by maximising the scope of the Fit India Movement, and a focus on grassroots development must go hand-in-hand to achieve the desired results. Published - August 05, 2026 12:10 am IST Read Comments Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit READ LATER SEE ALL Remove Related Topics Olympics / India / sport / finance (general) / government / children / education / athletics / Commonwealth Games / Ahmedabad / Gujarat / school
- 1Sport is technically a State subject under Entry 33 of the State List in the Seventh Schedule, yet the Union government funds nationwide schemes like Khelo India as Central Sector initiatives using its spending power under Article 282. This overlap requires close Centre-State coordination for delivery at the district level, where actual infrastructure and coaching happen. The editorial's warning about 'effective and transparent implementation' reflects the recurring governance challenge of turning Union budgetary allocations into ground-level outcomes within a federal sports administration.
- 2The Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalaya initiatives are explicitly aligned with the National Education Policy, 2020, which for the first time integrated sports as part of the core curriculum rather than a co-curricular activity. NEP 2020 recommends every school appoint a sports instructor and treat physical education on par with academic subjects up to Grade 12. This convergence of sports and education policy aims to identify athletic talent early within the mainstream schooling system rather than relying solely on standalone sports academies.
- 3Elite athlete support flows through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, administered by the Sports Authority of India under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, which the editorial notes will continue backing athletes graduating from Khelo India. National Sports Federations, the autonomous bodies governing individual sports, receive government assistance but remain subject to the National Sports Development Code for governance norms. The proposed National Coach Accreditation Board would add another layer of regulatory standardisation to how coaches are trained and certified nationally.
- 4The scheme's ₹36,441 crore outlay for 2026-31 marks a sharp scale-up from just over 1,000 Khelo India centres nationwide, envisioning two to three centres per district. The Emerging Khelo India Athletes initiative alone would grow the supported athlete pool nearly tenfold, from 2,904 to about 28,000. Yet India's recent medal tallies, seven at Tokyo 2021 and six at Paris 2024, show how far this grassroots investment must translate into podium finishes to meet the stated target of 30 to 40 medals.
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