Introduction:
Indian Sports are flourishing in the golden era of revival. Amid the accolades for their unprecedented success at the 19th Asian games, Indian athletes praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motivational presence along with the center’s sports policy.
India’s recent achievements in sports, including the remarkable performance in the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the Thomas Cup win after 73 years, and success in the Asian Games, reflect a historic moment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement underlines the significance of this accomplishment, marking it as India’s best performance in the last 60 years.
The analogy of scoring a century is usually associated with cricket, but the achievement of Indian athletes in the Asian Games 2023, was indeed a moment of pride for 140 crore Bharatvasis. It is anticipated to be etched in the collective memory for years, symbolizing a significant accomplishment in the realm of sports. India’s historic feat of capturing 107 medals at the 19th Asian Games showcases an impressive increase of more than 50% from 2018. Not only does this noteworthy achievement mark the sweetest century in Indian sports history, but it also signifies India’s greatest-ever medal haul in the Asian Games. This accomplishment, which easily beat the previous record set in Jakarta, demonstrates the outstanding development and accomplishment of Indian athletes worldwide.
How India’s performance progressed at the Asian games in last ten years:
The evolution of India’s performance at the Asian Games over the past two decades is remarkable. Starting with 36 medals in 2002 at Busan, the numbers steadily increased to 53 in Doha 2006, a slight dip to 57 in Incheon 2014, and a resurgence with 70 medals in Jakarta and Palembang in 2018, marking their best-ever tally at that time. This upward trajectory reflects the consistent growth and excellence of Indian athletes on the continental stage. Shooting emerged as a standout performer, securing 22 medals, closely followed by athletics with 29 medals. India showcased dominance in archery, squash, cricket, and kabaddi. Additionally, sports such as badminton, tennis, equestrian, and hockey contributed significantly to the overall gold medal count. India has shown remarkable growth over the years at the Asian Games, with consistent improvements in its medal tally. Following the inaugural games in 1951, where India secured 51 medals, the country did not surpass the 20-medal mark in the subsequent seven editions. It wasn’t until the 1982 games in Delhi that India reached 57 medals. Notably, the 2006 Doha edition marked the first instance of India winning over 50 medals in an edition held outside the country.
Government’s support to develop and encourage sports culture:
Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an excellent environment for sports has been created in the last nine and a half years. The establishment of a separate sports ministry in 2020, led by commendable leadership, reflects Prime Minister Modi’s dedication to sports and his commitment to propelling India towards becoming a sports superpower. This move underscores the importance placed on fostering a thriving sports culture within the country.
Who can forget how Prime Minister Modi consoled the inconsolable Indian women’s hockey team after losing the bronze medal match in the Tokyo Olympics? Not only this, when the Indian women’s cricket team lost the gold medal in the Commonwealth Games Birmingham in 2022, Prime Minister Modi lauded the team for their spectacular performance and motivated every player. All these examples show PM Modi’s personal touch with the sportsman.
He has always inspired every player and athlete to give their best without worrying about the result. Prime Minister Modi’s active engagement in sports, coupled with a nuanced understanding of player’s needs, innovative initiatives, and focused efforts on infrastructure development, has significantly contributed to India’s enhanced performance on the global stage.
The substantial increase in India’s sports budget over the last decade is notable. In 2014, the budget was ₹874 crore, and it has since experienced a remarkable fourfold surge, reaching ₹3397.32 crore. A noteworthy allocation of ₹1000 crore has been earmarked specifically for the Khelo India project, emphasizing the government’s commitment to promoting sports and athletic development across the nation.
Government provides financial assistance to players such as talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by the High-powered committee and will be provided annual financial assistance of INR 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.
What are the initiatives taken by the government to promote and nurture sports:
The major initiatives that the government promotes indigenous sports such as Khelo India movement and National Air Sports Policy, another important initiative to help grow our sports. India aims to discover hidden sports talents and help unearth talents from villages. This is why the Modi-led government has merged the existing schemes of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA), Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS), and National Sports Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS) into a single scheme called Khelo India. It is a national program of sports development to encourage mass participation in sports and ensure effective implementation of government policies at grassroots level. The program provides financial support, infrastructure, and training facilities to athletes, with the goal of creating a strong sporting culture in India.
The collaborative efforts of the Modi-led government and corporate entities, like JSW’s Sports Excellence Program and Reliance Foundation’s grassroots initiatives, showcase a shared commitment to recognize the dreams of Indian sports. Private companies actively participating in nurturing talents contribute to the preparation of future champions.
Moreover, the sports policy implemented by the BJP-led government in Haryana serves as a game-changer, offering incentives such as jobs and cash awards for winners, along with accessible sports facilities in villages. This serves as a valuable case study and guide for other states, such as Bihar, aiming to strengthen their sports ecosystem. Today athletes have all the facilities they need, and the facilities are provided seamlessly by the government through the sports ministry and the Sports authority of India. This ongoing support ensures that athletes do not have to stress about the money required for their training, and can instead focus on their sports.
The Khelo India movement:
The government has also paid special attention to the participation of girls in sports through the Khelo India programme. Khelo India youth Games are being organized throughout the year with a special focus on girl athletes, more than 1.25 lakh girls have participated in these leagues to ensure availability of sports infrastructure in remote corners of India.
The government aims to organize three national-level Khelo India Games – the Khelo India Youth Games, the Khelo India University Games, and the Khelo India Winter Games. The larger aim Is to get a 3% increase in the number of records broken during the national event. The target of over 50 women’s competitions with over 12,000 participants and a 20% increase in the number of athletes from extremism-affected and other disturbed areas participating in events will promote inclusion through sports.
‘Target Olympic Podium Scheme’ (TOPS)
The vision of Prime Minister Modi and the mission mode in which his government is working to promote sports and support sportspersons is reflected in its unique schemes and programmes. The ‘Target Olympic Podium Scheme’ (TOPS), introduced in 2015, is a pioneering scheme that has been instrumental in ensuring that the “core group of athletes” receive all the necessary individual support in terms of foreign exposure, hiring of specific coaches, training and competition abroad.
Furthermore, the government needs to ensure that sports infrastructure is easily available to people from all socio-economic backgrounds. Under the fit India Movement, SAI stadium facilities are available to non-SAI coaches to train their wards. There is a need to develop at least one all-round sports facility in every district headquarters of India, which is accessible to all and also to increase the per capita sports budget, which is only ₹24.
Prime Minister Modi’s inspiration, his government’s efforts on the ground and policy initiatives, and transparency in Indian sports governance – all bode well for the future of Indian sports.
Conclusion:
Therefore, there is no denying the fact that, in the last nine and a half years, a new era has begun in India’s sports ecosystem, in which sports is no longer considered a mere extra-curricular activity but a lucrative profession. Increased government and private investment in sports infrastructure, grassroots development programs, and athlete training have played a pivotal role. Successes in international competitions, such as cricket achievements, Olympic medals in disciplines like badminton, wrestling, and shooting, have bolstered India’s sporting image. These elements collectively signify India’s emergence as a rising force in the global sports arena
Author : Abhilash Shandilya