Behind the big sporting success of any country, be it the USA or China, there’s a robust grassroots system. This is the structure on which the whole sports system depends for continued success. In this grassroot set-up, talent doesn’t go unnoticed, and there are enough opportunities for aspiring athletes to showcase their skills. India lags behind in terms of creating opportunities for young athletes, especially in 2nd-tier cities and remote villages. Because of the lack of a streamlined structure, we lose a lot of talent to obscurity. We can’t even imagine the immense talent India has, and yet, there’s no proper system to unearth it.

However, in 2018, the government of India took a step to overhaul the grassroot set-up. This initiative was called Khelo India program. It’s main objective to help sportspersons in every way possible, whether you are a young athlete looking to start your sports journey, or someone looking to become a coach. Through this program, the Indian government wants to foster a sporting culture, like Europe, where it’s seen as a solid career option. So, let’s try to understand Khelo India, which is empowering young athletes in India.

Also Read: Gadgets Every Athlete Should Know

Khelo India Program

As highlighted above, Khelo India is India’s flagship sports program that promotes sports at the grassroots level and aims to create robust sports ecosystem in the country. In total, there are 1059 Khelo India Centres (KICs) set up in 36 states and union territories across a total of 747 districts. These centres act as a platform to identify local talent and nurture it so that no possible champion goes unnoticed due to geographical location or economic background.

In addition, the Khelo India program has set up 32 Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs) across 31 States and Union Territories. These world-class facilities offer curated training to athletes across all sports, helping them unlock their full potential.

Main Objectives of Khelo India Program

Khelo India’s objective is to unearth talent and give them a platform to become world-class athletes. Let’s explore more:

• Unearth talent and nurture them: Through various schemes and initiatives, Khelo India program helps in identifying talented athletes across the country, especially from rural areas, and give them access to resources and opportunities.
• Infrastructure Development: Another objective of Khelo India program is to construct and upgrade sports facilities, including stadiums, training centers, and sports academies to create a professional environment for regional and national-level athletes.
• Sports Education: Through Khelo India, the government is also trying to integrate sports in the school curriculum. This way, new opportunities will be opening up for students away from the field, such as sports journalism, sports management and more.
• Fitness Awareness: Khelo India is also promoting a fitness related program named Fit India Movement, which encourages people, of every age, to indulge in activities such as Running.
• Promoting Grassroots Participation: Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) and Khelo India University Games (KIUG) are part of the grassroot program aimed at the young budding athletes to showcase their talent.

Positive Impact of Khelo India on India’s Sports Success

Khelo India is still new to have a larger impact like the sports system in the USA, China, or Australia. But in only six years, this program has helped many athletes, with some of them going on to represent India at the global stage.

• Olympics 2024: Out of India’s 117 contingent, 28 athletes were from the Khelo India program, which signifies the success of this sports initiative.
• 2022 Asian Games: At the 2022 Asian Games in China, 124 out of 644 Indian athletes were from Khelo India Program. These athletes helped India win 42 medals at the event, which again highlights the program’s ongoing success.
• Identifying Talent: Around 2781 athletes have been identified under the Khelo India Scheme.These athletes are also given support through coaching, equipment, medical care, and a monthly Out of Pocket Allowance (OPA).
• Paralympics: In addition, out of 84 para-athletes who represented India at the Para Olympic 2024, 25 athletes came from Khelo India Scheme. It was India’s most successful paralympic campaaign as Indian athletes secured a record-breaking 29 medals—7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze. This was possible only due to Khelo India initiative.

More Opportunities for Athletes

Since its inception in 2018, the government of India has invested around ₹3616 in the program, which shows the government’s commitment to make this program a success.

• Since 2018, there have been 15 Khelo India Games, which means, more opportunities for young athletes to rub shoulders against each other.
• Out of these 15 games, 6 were Khelo India Youth Games, 4 were Khelo India University Games, 4 were Khelo India Winter Games, and 1 was Khelo India Para Games.
• Over 1000 talented athletes have been identified from these competitions.
• Khelo India has also set up a total of 302 Accredited Academies, over 1000 Khelo India Centres, and 32 Khelo India State Centers of Excellence.

Significant Opportunities for young athletes

• Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG): A multi-disciplinary sports event for athletes under 17 years and for those below 21 years.
• Khelo India University Games (KIUG): Gamed for athletes studying in universities.
• Khelo India Fitness Assessment Program: To assess and strategize improvement on the fitness grounds of school-going children.

Financial Support Through Khelo India

Not only Khelo India program is creating opportunities for aspiring athletes at the various level, but athletes are also getting financial help from this scheme.

As per a report on Khelo India’s official website, talented players identified in various sports disciplines at will be getting annual financial assistance of INR 5 lakh per annum for 8 years. That’s massive. truly.

Conclusion

The Khelo India program is the evidence of India’s attempt to emerge as a global sports powerhouse. Such initiatives empower youth and establish a sporting culture across the nation. Also, the program is helping athletes with finances, which is the biggest driving factor for every human. If the program can penetrate into 2nd tier cities and villages, then the impact could be unfathomable, as there’s no dearth of talent in the country.

For more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.