Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has called for an accelerated and comprehensive talent identification programme to develop India’s athlete pool for the 2036 Olympics.
Chairing the 63rd Governing Body Meeting of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Mandaviya said preparations for India’s long-term Olympic ambitions must begin immediately, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a nationwide sports talent hunt.
“The plan for the next 10 years before we see the Olympics being hosted in the nation has to start in full swing right from this moment,” Mandaviya said, stressing the need to build a strong sporting ecosystem well ahead of 2036.
The minister directed SAI to strengthen its talent scouting mechanism and establish a structured process to identify athletes capable of progressing to the highest levels of competition. He proposed a two-stage approach, beginning with the identification of promising performers at the district and state levels, followed by detailed assessment of their fitness, commitment, passion, dedication and potential for further development.
Mandaviya said the talent search should extend across schools, districts and colleges to cover the entire sporting pyramid. The objective, he said, should be to create a comprehensive national talent repository that can serve as a pipeline for sports schools, academies and advanced training programmes.
He also stressed the importance of public-private partnerships in expanding India’s sports training infrastructure. Athletes identified through state- and district-level talent hunts could be directed to specialised academies under a wider PPP framework, helping create additional pathways for high-potential athletes.
The minister highlighted the role of the corporate sector in strengthening sports development through greater participation in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Such partnerships, he said, could expand training capacity beyond government-run facilities and support the creation of a broader network of academies.
In a significant step towards strengthening the coaching ecosystem, the SAI Governing Body approved the establishment of the National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB). The board will form part of the revamped Khelo India Scheme and is expected to introduce a more structured system for coach accreditation and professional development.
The meeting also approved a proposed amendment to the recruitment rules for appointment to the post of Assistant Coach at Pay Level-6 in SAI on a deputation basis.
Calling for continued momentum in the development of India’s sports ecosystem, Mandaviya said the pace of ongoing initiatives must be sustained and accelerated. He noted that growing public interest in sports and rising expectations from the government make it essential to move faster in implementing sports development projects.
“We have to fulfil the new vision for a new generation and we need to maintain that,” the minister said.