Our Target Is To Place India Among The Top Ten Sporting Nations In The World, Says Mandaviya

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, said on Friday that the long-term vision of the current government is to elevate India into the list of the world's top ten sporting nations.

“We have also laid out a 10-year plan and a 25-year plan in line with the vision given by Prime Minister Modi ji. Our target is to make India a developed nation and to place India among the top 10 sporting nations in the world. These plans are ready and will be implemented soon, with corresponding policy changes to support them.”

“In the coming days, we can already feel the changes are taking place in the Indian sports sector. Our goal must be to ensure that the Indian flag is proudly raised on every podium across the world. We must take sports a step further - transforming it into a public movement, a collective mission where every citizen feels connected and contributes to India's sporting success,” said Mandaviya in his address at the PlayCom - Business of Sports Summit 2025.

He further said more efforts need to be undertaken for players to compete and excel in various sporting leagues in India.“To achieve this, we must build a strong work culture, identify talent early, and nurture it systematically. Our renowned athletes should be central to this effort, and we must create more opportunities for talented players to compete and grow within India.”

Mandaviya took charge as the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports on June 11, 2024 and he stated about the reforms brought in his time at the helm, including the landmark introduction and eventual assent of National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill.

“To build a better sports ecosystem in the country and to make the nation more interested in sports, we need to bring reforms and positive changes. We have already launched movements like Fit India and Khelo India, as well as schemes like TOPS, while also providing facilities to elite athletes with a holistic approach.”

“We have prepared a vision document and framed a sports policy. We want the best model, but it must be our own model. There is abundant talent across the country, and this talent must be given opportunities through the creation of a strong sports ecosystem. To ensure good governance, we introduced the Sports Governance Bill, which is athlete-centric.

“Earlier, federations often focused more on their disputes than on athletes, but now our priority is to make athletes the epicenter of sports. The Bill also ensures greater representation of women in sports, as we are committed to increasing women's participation.”

“Sports governance should not be about creating disputes but about resolving them. That is why we have included provisions for immediate dispute redressal in the Sports Governance Bill. Special provisions have been created for athletes to safeguard their interests,” he concluded.

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