New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged India to expand its presence across a much wider range of Olympic sports, saying the country’s medal tally cannot rise significantly unless Indian athletes compete in disciplines where the nation has traditionally had little or no participation.
Addressing athletes, students and volunteers during the Khelo India Dialogue, Modi described India’s limited participation in Olympic events as a “bitter truth”. At the Paris Olympics in 2024, India competed in only 16 of the 32 sports on the programme.
According to Modi, focusing only on established medal winning disciplines is not enough. He said India needs to develop expertise in a broader group of sports and build the infrastructure, coaching and talent pipeline required to compete internationally.
Modi highlighted surfing and sport climbing as disciplines where India could have significant potential. He pointed to the country’s long coastline and extensive mountainous regions as natural advantages that could support the development of water and winter sports.
He said India needs to identify promising disciplines, create suitable sporting ecosystems and encourage young athletes to enter areas where the country has historically had limited representation.
The Prime Minister also referred to his Independence Day announcement of a nationwide talent identification programme for children aged between five and 15. The initiative is aimed at discovering young athletes and improving India’s participation across Olympic disciplines.
Modi reiterated India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games and said the country will focus on disciplines in which it currently lacks representation or qualification.
He also highlighted the transformative impact of sport, particularly through para athletes. According to him, an athlete’s success can bring recognition not only to the individual but also to their family, school, district and hometown.
Modi cited para athletes including armless archer Sheetal Devi, shooter Avani Lekhara, powerlifter Jhandu Kumar and javelin thrower Sumit Antil as examples of sporting excellence and inspiration.
He also paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand ahead of National Sports Day on August 29, recalling the historic India New Zealand sporting connection and Dhyan Chand’s role in India’s hockey legacy.
The broader vision, Modi said, is to make sport an important part of nation building while combining India’s sporting and youth potential to support the goal of a developed India.
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