Talent identification, coaching, infrastructure development the main focus of Chintan Shivir

NEW DELHI: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday stressed on the need for talent identification, modern coaching methodology, infrastructure creation, and sustainable development in sports, on the opening day of the two-day Chintan Shivir organised here to gauge India's preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) is also aimed to strengthen the country's bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics.

The event has brought together sports ministers from various states and UTs, senior sports administrators, key government officials, and domain experts to exchange ideas and chart a roadmap for India's emergence as a global sporting powerhouse.

Mandaviya emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen that India hosts the 2036 Olympics, and urged the states to actively contribute to making this ambition a reality. "Chintan Shivir is an initiative guided by the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision of good governance. This forum allows us to collaborate and take forward our dream of hosting the Olympics," he stated.

Representatives from states and UTs, including Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh, shared their best practices, with the minister stressing the importance of learning from one another to accelerate progress. Highlighting India's vision of becoming a global sporting powerhouse, Mandaviya stated, "Making India a Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires a well-structured and collaborative approach towards sports.

Over 2,800 Khelo India academies established

While sports is a state subject, a unified effort is essential to position India as a formidable sporting nation." A key area of discussion was the impact of the Khelo India initiative in identifying and nurturing young athletes. Mandaviya noted that over 2,800 Khelo India academies have been established, and 937 out of 1,045 Khelo India centres are currently operational.

He emphasised on the importance of creating a national athletes' repository with unique IDs to track talent and ensure their growth within the system.

"We cannot afford to let talent slip through the cracks. A scientific approach in talent identification and management, along with active participation from National Sports Federations is crucial for the Olympic mission," he added.

Mandaviya also underlined the need to strengthen grassroots sports by identifying young athletes between the ages of 9-14 and nurturing them for long-term Olympic preparation. He announced that new initiatives under Khelo India, such as beach games, water sports, and indigenous games, will be introduced to encourage regional participation and enhance India's sports culture. Sports governance was another key theme of the discussions.

The delegates underscored the need for enhanced transparency in National Sports Federations (NSFs) to ensure fair selection processes and build confidence among parents to encourage their children to take up sports as a career. The deliberations focused on improving coordination among all stake-holders to foster an athlete-centric governance model.

Infrastructure development was also a major focus, with emphasis on optimising the utilisation of sports infrastructure of states, PSUs, ministries, and the private sector. The discussions highlighted the need for a sustainable model where stadiums and existing infrastructure are used efficiently. It was also discussed to establish District-Level Sports Schools (DLSSs) by upgrading existing schools to increase grassroots-level talent scouting and training.