'India To Become Top Five In Sports By...,' Mansukh Mandaviya Underlines Govt Vision

Mandaviya said this during a panel discussion on India's preparations for Paris Olympics. The discussion was organised by the Delhi Sports Journalists Association in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India.

Mandaviya said that by 2047 government is targeting to make India a developing country and being a sports power is also among the targets.

"Our government has set a target that in 2047, when we are a developed country, we also need to be among the top five in sports. If we don't have a pathway, we will not know whether we can achieve the target or not. During the COVID crisis, I have been witness to all that planning," the Union sports minister asserted.

Mandaviya also admitted that India has a lot of potential and only thing required is to give the deserving a chance.

"This is such a diverse country where we have a lot of potential," said Mandaviya. "We have been blessed with a lot of potential. There is unlimited talent, the only thing is giving opportunity to them."

KIRTI Project phase 2 launched

Mandaviya also launched the second phase of the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) project with an aim to identify one lakh young athletes within 100 days.

Speaking at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, the sports minister said that through this programme the government will reach the farthest corners of the country to tap talent.

"India is full of diversity and potential. There has never been a shortage of brainpower, manpower, or talent in India," said Mandaviya. "Not just the cities, but even in our far-flung areas like the North-East, Coastal, Himalayan and tribal areas can have a quality sportsperson there."

"We need to have a steady stream of these high-performing assets and that’s where KIRTI, a stepping stone to sporting excellence, comes into play.

"Everyone will be given opportunities to develop their sports skills, whether they live in a village or a city, and whether they come from a poor background or otherwise."