Gujarat Govt Promotes Women In Sports, Spends Over Rs 147 Lakh Support Under Shaktidoot Scheme

(MENAFN- IANS) Gandhinagar, Sep 22 (IANS) The Gujarat government is promoting women in sports by announcing the disbursement of more than Rs 147 lakh in financial assistance to 13 women athletes under the Shaktidoot Yojana for 2024-25, government officials said on Monday.

The initiative, launched in 2006, provides need-based support to promising sportspersons to help them excel at national and international levels.

Over the years, leading athletes such as tennis player Ankita Raina, swimmer Maana Patel, sprinter Sarita Gayakwad, shooter Elavenil Valarivan, and para table tennis champion Bhavina Patel have benefitted from the scheme.

The state government has also implemented a special cash prize programme for women athletes, through which more than Rs 11 crore has been distributed till now.

Gujarat's flagship sports initiative 'Khel Mahakumbh', introduced by the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2010, has emerged as Asia's largest grassroots talent identification programme, attracting more than 26.5 lakh women participants so far.

Today, names like Ankita Raina, Maana Patel, and Sarita Gayakwad have put Gujarat on the international sports map, inspiring a new generation of women athletes.

In the last two decades, Gujarat has seen a massive shift in sports infrastructure and policy.

From a sports budget of just Rs 2.5 crore in 2002, the allocation has grown to more than Rs 484 crore, with the 2022-27 Sports Policy under current Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel giving a further push to global-level training, facilities, and recognition for athletes.

Over the past two decades, Gujarat has transformed its sports infrastructure from modest beginnings into a robust ecosystem of world-class facilities.

In 2002, the state's annual sports budget was barely Rs 2.5 crore; today it exceeds Rs 484 crore, reflecting a sharp policy focus on developing athletes and infrastructure.

The launch of Khel Mahakumbh in 2010 -- Asia's largest grassroots talent hunt -- helped identify lakhs of young players, while the state simultaneously invested in modern stadiums, sports complexes, and training academies across districts.

The Sports Policy, under Chief Minister Patel, has accelerated this push by emphasising international-level coaching, scientific training, and global exposure.

As a result, Gujarat today boasts facilities such as the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Ahmedabad, the Narendra Modi Stadium -- the world's largest cricket venue -- and multiple specialised centres for athletics, swimming, shooting, and tennis.

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