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PM Narendra Modi announced a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5-15 to nurture young athletes for the 2036 Olympics.
Narendra Modi says India continues to move forward as a strong contender to host the 2036 Olympic Games. (Screengrab)
While ruing India’s absence from two-thirds of Olympic events, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 will be launched to identify and nurture young athletes as part of the country’s preparations for the 2036 Olympics.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on the occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day, Modi said India’s sporting performance continues to improve, but the country needs to expand its presence across Olympic events where it has traditionally had little or no representation.
“I have always said, ‘jo khelega, woh khilega’ (those who play will flourish),” Modi said. “Today, India continues to carve out a space for itself in the world of sports. We increasingly hear India’s national anthem at sporting events and see the Tricolour flying high.”
The Prime Minister credited initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Khelo India Games, University Games, Winter Games and Beach Games, along with investments in sports infrastructure, coaching, sports medicine and nutrition, with strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem.
He also said the sports sector was creating opportunities beyond competitive athletics.
“If you cannot become a sportsperson, a huge space is opening up for the youth in the support system around sports. India’s performance in sports continues to improve, and we are moving ahead as strong contenders to host the 2036 Olympics. In 2030, we will host the Commonwealth Games,” Modi said.
He stressed that India needed to broaden its Olympic ambitions.
“There are around 40 sports and nearly 325-350 events at the Olympics. But you will be saddened to know that India has little or no presence in nearly two-thirds of these events. We do not qualify for many of them,” he noted.
“We have decided that, with the 2036 Olympics in mind, we will focus on those events in which India has traditionally had little or no presence. For this, we will launch a dedicated talent programme,” he added.
To address the gap, Modi said talent would be identified at an early stage, with the 2036 Olympics in mind.
“To develop athletes who can represent India at the 2036 Games, we have to start identifying talent at a very young age. That is why we will undertake a nationwide talent hunt for children between the ages of 5 and 15. We will identify their talent, nurture it and provide them with specialised training so that they can go on to lead India,” he concluded.
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18The nationwide talent hunt will identify young athletes aged 5 to 15 in every village, city, and school. The aim is to identify their talent, nurture it, and provide specialised training to prepare them for the 2036 Olympics.
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
August 15, 2026, 09:11 IST
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