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Sports In India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday joined the country in paying rich tributes to hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand on his birthday, taking the occasion to reiterate the government's commitment to making India a "global hub for sporting excellence". August 29 is celebrated as the National Sports Day in memory of Major Dhyan Chand, who is widely regarded as the greatest field hockey player in history. He earned India three Olympic gold medals -- 1928, 1932 and 1936 -- with his extraordinary ball control skills and goal-scoring ability. The national hockey stadium in the heart of the capital is named after the legend. "Greetings on National Sports Day! On this special occasion, we pay tribute to Major Dhyan Chand Ji, whose excellence continues to inspire generations," wrote the PM on 'X'. Reflecting on India's evolving sporting landscape, the PM reaffirmed his government's dedication to fostering a culture of sports and fitness, strengthening institutional support for athletes, and .
India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics is in the 'Continuous Dialogue' phase with the International Olympic Committee's Future Host Commission, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha on Monday. In response to a query from Aam Aadmi Party's MP from Sangrur, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Mandaviya said the entire bidding process is being handled by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). "IOA has submitted a letter of intent to IOC. The bid is now in the 'Continuous Dialogue' phase with the Future Host Commission of IOC," the Minister stated in the lower house. The Minister, however, did not respond to Hayer's specific query of whether India is bidding to host the Olympics across multiple venues. Hayer asked if the proposed plan includes Hockey in Bhubaneswar, Rowing in Bhopal, Canoeing/Kayaking in Pune and Cricket in Mumbai. "Bidding to host the Olympic Games in India is the responsibility of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and allotment of hosting rights for the Olympic
India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics is not merely an attempt to make a statement internationally but also a well thought out plan to create world-class infrastructure, bolster the economy and tackle pressing social issues affecting the country's youth, says Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse. In an exclusive interview to PTI, the 38-year-old three-time Lok Sabha MP from Maharashtra's Raver constituency, dismissed criticism from some quarters that the country needs to focus more on becoming a sporting powerhouse before aiming for something as expensive as hosting the Olympics. "Preparing to host events like the 2036 Olympics or the 2030 Commonwealth Games is about creating world-class infrastructure, economic investment, and legacy systems that directly benefit athlete development," she asserted in the interaction at her office here. "Sports is also a way to deal with so many issues such as depression and even drug addiction. And keeping all this in mind, when you bring an
The Sports Ministry has revoked the suspension imposed on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), ending the months of uncertainty surrounding the sport and paving the way for resumption of activities, including selection trials for the upcoming Asian Championship in Amman. The ministry had suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023 for lapses in governance and procedural integrity by the new body, which was elected on December 21. It had asked IOA to form an ad-hoc panel to run the affairs of the Federation. The Sanjay Singh-led body had announced the conduct of Under-15 and Under-20 National Championships in Nandini Nagar, Gonda the stronghold of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the choice of venue irked the government since the former BJP MP was facing charges of sexual harassment. The ministry, in its order issued on Monday, said that the WFI has taken compliant measures, so in larger interest of the sport and athletes, the ministry has decided to lift the ...
Sports technology market in India, comprising apps, devices, sensors etc, are expected to grow by 85 per cent to Rs 49,500 crore in the next four years, a joint report by fantasy games body FIFS and Deloitte said on Thursday. The report estimates that India's sports-tech market generated Rs 26,700 crore in revenue in the financial year 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13 per cent by FY'29. "India's sports technology ecosystem is at an inflection point, with the market projected to grow at a 13 per cent CAGR to Rs 49,500 crore by FY'29," Deloitte India, Partner, Prashanth Rao said. He said that the advent of digital technologies are not only providing data for enhanced athlete performance but is also creating immersive fan experiences, leading to increased multi-sport following across demographics and opening newer avenues of business and business-led collaboration "Fantasy Sports continues to be a key driver in this evolution, fostering deepe
Meghalaya will host the 39th edition of the National Games in February/March 2027, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha has informed state chief minister Conrad Sangma. As host state of the next edition, Meghalaya will be handed the IOA flag during the closing ceremony of the ongoing 38th Games in Uttarakhand. The ceremony will he held in Haldwani on Friday. "I am pleased to inform you that the IOA has decided to allocate the hosting rights of the 39th National Games to the state of Meghalaya, scheduled to be held in February/March 2027," Usha wrote in the letter to Sangma on Monday. "As Meghalaya embarks on the exciting journey, I would like to invite you to the closing ceremony of the 38th National Games in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, where the IOA flag will be ceremoniously handed over to Meghalaya," she added. Sangma reacted to the decision, saying that it was a "huge honour" that his state has been chosen as the host of the Games in 2027. "Overjoyed to share that ...
Sports can become an important pillar in India's march to become a developed nation by 2047 when it celebrates the centenary year of independence, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said here on Monday. The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports said India's commitment to host the Olympics in 2036 is a symbol of its growing power. Mandaviya spoke at the inaugural event of the 1st International Olympic Research Conference organised at Rashtriya Raksha University. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji said we have to organise the Olympics in the country in 2036. This is a symbol of India's growing power," he said. The minister said at a time when India is moving towards becoming a developed country in 2047 and celebrating the centenary year of independence, sports can become an important pillar in achieving this target. Highlighting the importance of research and innovation, Mandaviya said, "If we fail to conduct research and implement new ideas, we will lag in a continuously progressi
Double Olympic-medallist shooter Manu Bhaker and teenage chess world champion D Gukesh received a euphoric round of applause as they walked up to receive the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna from President Droupadi Murmu in a glittering National Sports Awards ceremony here on Friday. The other two recipients of the country's highest sporting honour were men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympic gold-winning high jumper Praveen Kumar when the annual honours were bestowed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here. Harmanpreet was a part of the national sides that won bronze medals in the Tokyo as well as Paris Olympics. Praveen, on the other hand, upgraded his silver at the Japanese capital to a gold last year in Paris. He was born with a short left leg. Thirty-two athletes are being honoured with the Arjuna Award out of which an unprecedented 17 are para-athletes. The athletes selected for the Arjuna award include Paris Olympics bronze medal-winning group of wrestler Aman .
Playing down concerns surrounding the autonomy of national federations and the IOA if a regulatory board comes into existence, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya has asserted that the body is an essential step towards ensuring good governance and does not intend to interfere in day-to-day operations. The establishment of a Sports Regulatory Board is one of the key features of the draft National Sports Governance Bill, which the government intends to introduce in the Parliament soon. The regulatory body will have the authority to grant, renew, and suspend the affiliation of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and national sports federations, among others. "We don't want to interfere. That's why I did a lot of dialogue, I had a lot of consultations with the federations. I consulted with eminent sports personalities and even lawyers who are against us," Mandaviya told reporters during an interaction on Friday. "We don't want to take control, but we can't leave it unattended. It is the