Empowering a Nation Through Sports Excellence and Inclusion
NEW DELHI (India CSR): In the dusty playgrounds of small-town India, children once chased dreams of cricket or football stardom with little hope of turning passion into profession. Today, the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 is rewriting that story, transforming sports from a fleeting pastime into a vibrant career path and a tool for nation-building. With a record-breaking budget of ₹3,794 crore for 2025–26, this ambitious policy is not just about winning medals—it’s about empowering communities, fostering inclusivity, and positioning India as a global sporting powerhouse by 2036.
A New Era for Indian Sports
From Hobby to Career
Three decades ago, sports in India were often sidelined, overshadowed by academic pressures and limited infrastructure. Young athletes played on makeshift fields, dreaming of emulating icons like Kapil Dev or P.T. Usha, but career prospects were dim. The Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, launched as an evolution of programs like Khelo India, is changing this narrative. By integrating sports with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, it promotes physical education in schools, ensuring children as young as nine are scouted and nurtured through initiatives like the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) program. This policy is building a robust ecosystem where talent is identified early, supported holistically, and celebrated nationally.
A Vision for 2036
India’s aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics is at the heart of Khelo Bharat Niti 2025. The policy outlines a strategic roadmap to elevate India into the top 10 sporting nations by 2036 and top five by 2047. With 65% of India’s population under 35, the world’s largest youth demographic is being harnessed through 1,045 Khelo India Centres (KICs), 34 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), and 326 infrastructure projects worth ₹3,124.12 crore. These facilities provide world-class training, sports science, and medical support, ensuring athletes are equipped to compete on global stages.
Empowering Every Athlete
Inclusivity at the Core
Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 is a game-changer for marginalized groups. It prioritizes participation from women, tribal communities, people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities like the Siddi community. For instance, para-athlete Rohit Kumar, a PhD scholar from Delhi, credits government schemes for leveling the playing field. In a recent interview, he praised the policy’s integration with NEP 2020, emphasizing how it encourages young people to balance education and sports. Similarly, Siddi athlete Samantha Saver Siddi, training at Bengaluru’s Jay Prakash Narayan Sports Academy, sees the policy as a milestone for her community, fostering pride and ambition.
Economic and Social Impact
Beyond medals, the policy positions sports as an economic driver. By promoting sports tourism, attracting international events like the Khelo India Water Sports Festival (set for August 21–23, 2025, at Srinagar’s Dal Lake), and encouraging private-sector investment through public-private partnerships (PPPs), India is building a sustainable sports industry. The policy also fosters social inclusion by making sports accessible at the community level, with fitness campaigns and infrastructure development in rural and urban areas alike.
Building a Sporting Ecosystem
Khelo India: The Backbone
The Khelo India program, with a ₹1,000 crore allocation for 2025–26, remains the cornerstone of this transformation. Since its inception in 2016–17, it has supported 2,845 athletes with training, equipment, and allowances. Events like the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), University Games, Para Games, and Winter Games have engaged over 50,000 athletes across 17 editions, with the 2025 Para Games alone hosting over 1,300 participants. The KIRTI program, targeting children aged 9–18, uses 174 Talent Assessment Centres to scout future champions, ensuring a steady pipeline of talent.
Education Meets Athletics
The National Sports University in Imphal, established in 2018, is a game-changer for sports education. Offering programs in sports science, technology, and coaching, it collaborates with global institutions like the University of Canberra to adopt best practices. By training coaches and athletes while promoting research, the university aligns with the policy’s goal of creating a knowledge-driven sports ecosystem.
Stories of Triumph
Breaking Barriers
The human impact of Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 shines through stories like Rohit Kumar’s, who balances para-athletics with academic research, and Samantha Saver Siddi’s, whose journey from a marginalized community to a national training academy embodies the policy’s inclusivity. These athletes, supported by equal rewards for able-bodied and para-athletes, are proof that sports can transcend societal barriers and inspire a generation.
A Movement for All
The policy’s emphasis on community-level access and national campaigns is turning sports into a people’s movement. By integrating fitness indices in schools and promoting volunteerism, it aims to create a healthier, more active India. The Indian diaspora is also being engaged through sports, fostering global connections and pride.
You Learn
Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 is more than a policy—it’s a vision for a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive India. With unprecedented government investment, a focus on grassroots talent, and a clear path to the 2036 Olympics, India is poised to redefine its sporting legacy. As young athletes train in state-of-the-art facilities and communities rally behind them, the dream of seeing India atop the global sporting stage is closer than ever.
(India CSR)
