Questioning Olympic Bid: Is it Worthwhile Without Established Sports Tradition, According to Manish Tewari?
India is witnessing an intriguing phenomenon, as Dilip Cherian, a retired sports enthusiast, has observed a consistent group of 40 to 50 people engaging in outdoor activities in parks across various cities, despite urban populations running into at least a hundred thousand people [0]. However, compared to many other cities, people in India exercise less frequently and lack a strong sports culture. This article explores how India can improve its sports and personal fitness culture by focusing on three key areas: infrastructure, funding, and promoting participation.
Infrastructure Development
The development of world-class sports facilities is essential for India's sports growth. Gallant Sports & Infra plans to develop around 1,000 sports arenas in the next 5-10 years, with an emphasis on having athletic tracks in every district to support disciplines that yield many Olympic medals, such as athletics [1]. The new Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 initiative explicitly focuses on developing sports infrastructure in urban and rural areas alike, making facilities accessible for a wider population [3]. Expanding sports infrastructure to schools and universities will help integrate sports training into mainstream education [2].
Funding and Financial Models
The government encourages public-private partnerships (PPP) for financial sustainability and operational excellence in sports infrastructure. Monetizing venues and digital platforms helps attract private investment and expertise [3]. Strategic funding aligned with the National Sports Policy 2025 (NSP 2025) aims to support grassroots talent and elite athlete development, making funding both more inclusive and performance-oriented [2][4].
Promoting Participation and Culture
Strong grassroots talent identification programs are essential. NSP 2025 recommends structured scouting in rural, tribal, and underserved areas, inspired by international models like Australia’s Talent Search Program which uses physiological tests in schools [2]. Efforts must focus on fostering a sports culture by normalizing sports as a career and lifestyle through media campaigns, community sports festivals, and regular school and state-level competitions [2]. The Fit India Movement complements this by promoting fitness awareness.
Promoting gender equality in sports by creating safe, inclusive environments and ensuring equal opportunities and pay for women athletes will expand participation [2]. Incorporating technology and sports science, such as AI, wearables, and biomechanics labs, can enhance training and injury prevention, as done by countries like China and the UK [2].
India’s strategy combines ambitious infrastructure projects, innovative funding through PPP, grassroots outreach, educational integration, technology adoption, and cultural promotion. This holistic approach is embodied in the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and National Sports Policy 2025 frameworks, aiming for India to become a top-5 sports nation by 2047 and to be capable of hosting events like the 2036 Olympics [1][2][3][4].
[0] Dilip Cherian, personal observations, unpublished data
[1] Gallant Sports & Infra, Press Release, 2022
[2] National Sports Policy 2025, Government of India, 2025
[3] Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, Government of India, 2025
[4] Press Information Bureau, Government of India, "National Sports Policy 2025: A New Era for Sports in India," 2025
- To boost India's health-and-wellness culture, expanding sports facilities into schools and universities could help integrate fitness-and-exercise as an integral part of mainstream education in line with the Fit India Movement.
- As part of the strategy to promote India's sports culture, India embraces technology and sports science, adopting AI, wearables, and biomechanics labs for enhanced training and injury prevention, similar to China and the UK, to create a more inviting environment for sports-betting and participation.
