Khelo India’s Role in Boosting India’s Olympic and Asian Games Performance

On the question of ‘impact of Khelo India’ in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, stated the following in a written reply today.

There has been a positive impact of Khelo India on India’s Mission Olympics. In fact, a total of 124 athletes who were part of the Indian Contingent which participated in the Asian Games held in Hangzhou were Khelo India athletes, and they contributed by winning 42 medals out of total 106 medals. Further, 25% of the Indian contingent (28 athletes), at the forthcoming Paris Summer Olympic 2024 are Khelo India Athletes.

Under the component “Creation and Up-gradation of Sports Infrastructure” of the Khelo India Scheme, 323 sports infrastructure projects have been sanctioned across the country. A total of 1059 Khelo India Centres and 302 Accredited Academies have already been sanctioned across the country.

Under the Khelo India Scheme, several initiatives have been taken to identify and nurture untapped sporting talent, particularly among children and youth from rural areas.

One such initiative is KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification), which aims to discover talented individuals aged 9 to 18 through scientific testing methods and advanced technology, ensuring a streamlined process for grassroots talent identification.

Additionally, the scheme ensures that training and exposure opportunities meet international standards by providing specialized coaching for Khelo India Athletes at accredited academies. These athletes participate in the Khelo India Games, which adhere to international technical standards. They also compete with national and international athletes at various forums, enhancing their skills and strengthening the country’s bench strength for future national and international events.

Details of funds released under Khelo India Scheme across the country during the last five years are as under:

The State-wise details of Khelo India Athletes (KIAs) benefited under Khelo India Scheme are given below.

State & Year wise KIAs under Khelo India Scheme