{"id":80215,"date":"2026-07-28T18:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T12:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=80215"},"modified":"2026-07-28T18:09:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T12:39:20","slug":"india-sports-ecosystem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-07-2026\/india-sports-ecosystem","title":{"rendered":"India&#8217;s Sports Ecosystem"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The sporting landscape in India is witnessing a major transformation with policy reforms, infrastructure development, promotion of grassroots talent, and increased investment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Evolution of Sports in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has a glorious sporting history and mentions of archery, wrestling (Malla-Yuddha), horse riding, swimming, hunting and chess (Chaturanga) can be found in the ancient texts such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Manasollasa and Mallapurana.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The<strong> Mughal rulers<\/strong> in the medieval period were fond of <strong>Chaugan (Polo), Chess, Chaupar (Ludo) and hunting. <\/strong>Wrestling also remained popular.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The British introduced<strong> cricket, football, tennis, golf and other modern sports<\/strong> that led to the development of organised sporting culture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sports also became a symbol of <strong>nationalism during the freedom movement<\/strong>, as in the case of Mohun Bagan\u2019s historic football victory against a British regiment.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After Independence, India achieved several milestones such as<strong> Olympic hockey gold in 1948<\/strong>, hosting the<strong> first Asian Games in 1951 <\/strong>and growing participation of women in international sports.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India&#8217;s Rise on the Global Sporting Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Olympic Games: <\/strong>India&#8217;s Olympic journey witnessed a remarkable transformation between 2016 and 2024.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India progressed from two medals at Rio 2016 to seven at Tokyo 2020. India maintained this momentum with six medals at Paris 2024.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Neeraj Chopra became India&#8217;s first Olympic athletics gold medallist at Tokyo 2020.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mirabai Chanu also emerged as one of India&#8217;s most consistent Olympic medallists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Paralympic Games: <\/strong>India&#8217;s Paralympic performances have witnessed exceptional growth over the last three editions. The medal tally increased from four at Rio 2016 to 19 at Tokyo 2020.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paris 2024 marked India&#8217;s best-ever Paralympic campaign with 29 medals. Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil and Pramod Bhagat have been among the country&#8217;s standout performers.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Programmes such as TOPS and the Khelo India Para Games have strengthened support for para-athletes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Asian Games: <\/strong>India has consistently raised its performance at the Asian Games through larger contingents and stronger medal-winning displays. The country won 57 medals at Incheon 2014 and improved to 69 at Jakarta 2018.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commonwealth Games: <\/strong>India has remained one of the strongest performers at the Commonwealth Games. The country won 64 medals at Glasgow 2014 and improved to 66 at Gold Coast 2018.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India followed this with 61 medals at Birmingham 2022. Wrestling, weightlifting, table tennis, badminton and athletics have consistently contributed to India&#8217;s success.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>PV Sindhu, Vinesh Phogat and Achinta Sheuli have been among the country&#8217;s notable performers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Commonwealth Games 2026 is being held in Glasgow 23 July \u2013 2 August 2026, with athletes from 74 countries competing in 10 sports including six fully integrated Para Sports. India has sent a contingent of 124, comprising 78 men and 46 women. As of 27 July 2026, India has won 4 medals: 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mirabai Chanu clinches India&#8217;s third consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jhandu Kumar, Rishikanta Singh and Muthupandi Raja win bronze, silver and silver respectively to increase India&#8217;s medal tally.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Importance of Strong Sports Ecosystem&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Demographic Dividend &amp; Empowerment: <\/strong>Sport is a positive outlet for India\u2019s large young population and will promote mental well-being, leadership and discipline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic Engine &amp; Job Creation:<\/strong> Sports generate employment in event management, sports technology, physiotherapy, sports medicine, manufacturing &amp; analytics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Soft Power<\/strong>: International sporting excellence is a major soft power tool and is a source of national pride and global diplomatic footprint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public Health Improvement<\/strong>: Promotion of grassroots sports participation for the reduction of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and building a healthier workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Do you know?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sports\u2019 being a State subject<\/strong>, the responsibility to promote and develop sports in the country rests primarily with the respective State\/Union Territory Governments.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At the national and international level (including meeting international treaty obligations), it falls within the realm and remit of the Union Government under its residuary powers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Various Initiatives of Government&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Khelo India Scheme: <\/strong>Launched in 2017 to create a strong foundation for Indian sport\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It brought together three existing programmes. It merged the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme and National Sports Talent Search Scheme into a unified framework for sports development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"7e9fd1\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"595\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-240.png\" alt=\"khelo india games ecosystem\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-80216\" style=\"--dominant-color: #7e9fd1; aspect-ratio:1.553562005277045;width:482px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-240.png 595w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-240-300x193.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS): <\/strong>Launched in September 2014 to improve India&#8217;s performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The scheme was revamped in April 2018 with a dedicated technical support team to provide holistic assistance to athletes.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>TOPS supports athletes through foreign training, international competitions, coaching camps, specialised equipment and a monthly stipend of \u20b950,000.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) initiative: <\/strong>Identifies and nurtures sporting talent among children between 9 and 18 years of age.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Union Budget 2026\u201327:<\/strong> Announced a dedicated initiative for sports goods manufacturing with an allocation of \u20b9500 crore.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Sports Governance Act, 2025:<\/strong> Aims to enhance athlete welfare and sports governance by mandating all National Sports Bodies to have a Safe Sports Policy, a Code of Ethics and internal grievance redressal mechanisms.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Khelo Bharat Niti, 2025:<\/strong> Provides a long term roadmap to transform sports into a mass movement and a viable career in line with Viksit Bharat and India\u2019s ambition to host the Olympics in 2036.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Sports Day<\/strong> (29 August): The President of India presents National Sports Awards to honour excellence in sports.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons Scheme: <\/strong>\u00a0Provides a monthly pension ranging from \u20b912,000 to \u20b920,000 to retired international medal winners.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Programme for Sportspersons: <\/strong>Offers financial aid of up to \u20b910 lakh towards medical treatment, sports equipment and participation in competitions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Sports Development Fund (NSDF):<\/strong> Calling for contributions from the private sector, NRIs and philanthropists to supplement government funding for sports infrastructure and athlete development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR): <\/strong>It was established in 2017 to promote sports science, sports medicine, injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance enhancement through dedicated research and institutional support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Infrastructure issues<\/strong>: Metro cities and elite centers have world-class facilities, but access to standardised equipment and training facilities is low in rural and tier 2\/3 areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Governance Concerns<\/strong>: Transparency, litigation and lack of professional management in some National Sports Federations (NSFs) sometimes delay the support and development programmes for athletes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Skill\u00a0 Gaps<\/strong>: India still lacks high performance coaches, biomechanists, sports psychologists and nutritionists and has to depend on expensive foreign experts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social Mindset &amp; Job Security<\/strong>: Non-cricket sports are still seen as a financially risky career path compared to traditional academic paths, even as this is changing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Suggestions for Improvement&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Increase Collaboration:<\/strong> The National Education Policy (NEP) should integrate sports as part of the core academic curriculum to create a strong talent pool from early childhood.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Professionalise Governance: <\/strong>All National Sports Federations should have independent athlete representation, transparent financial audits and professional CEOs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthen Infrastructure<\/strong>: There is a need to Establish regional sports science centers in collaboration with medical universities to train local physical trainers, physiotherapists and performance analysts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public-Private Partnerships (PPP):<\/strong> There is a need to to encourage private businesses to sponsor certain sports, to ensure long-term financial support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2289962&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> In Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The sporting landscape in India is witnessing a major transformation with policy reforms, infrastructure development, promotion of grassroots talent, and increased investment. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> Evolution of Sports in India <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> India has a glorious sporting history and mentions of archery, wrestling (Malla-Yuddha), horse riding, swimming, hunting and chess (Chaturanga) can be found in the ancient texts such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Manasollasa and Mallapurana.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Mughal rulers in the medieval period were fond of Chaugan (Polo), Chess, Chaupar (Ludo) and hunting. Wrestling also remained popular.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-07-2026\/india-sports-ecosystem \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80215","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80215"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80220,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80215\/revisions\/80220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}