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The Government highlighted India's progress towards becoming a sporting nation during the Commonwealth Games 2026, showcasing the role of the Khelo India Scheme and related initiatives in strengthening the country's sports ecosystem.

What is the Khelo India Scheme?

Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Khelo India Scheme is the Government's flagship programme for developing a robust sports ecosystem from the grassroots to the elite level.

It integrates earlier schemes such as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme, and National Sports Talent Search Scheme into a single framework to identify, nurture, and support sporting talent across the country.

Key Features

The scheme focuses on developing sports through:

• Grassroots talent identification and athlete development.
• Establishment of Khelo India Training Centres (KITCs), with the goal of one centre in every district.
• Strengthening coaching, sports science, nutrition, psychology, and performance monitoring.
• Development of modern sports infrastructure.
• Regular national competitions and leagues for different age groups and disciplines.

Khelo India Games

The Khelo India School Games were launched in 2018 and renamed the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in 2019 after the Indian Olympic Association joined the initiative.

Since then, the programme has expanded through:

• Khelo India University Games (2020)
• Khelo India Winter Games (2020)
• Khelo India Para Games (2023)
• Khelo India Beach Games (2025)
• Khelo India Water Sports Festival (2025)
• Khelo India Tribal Games (2026)

More than 63,000 athletes have participated in Khelo India competitions since 2018.

Major Supporting Initiatives

Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

Launched in 2014 and revamped in 2018, TOPS supports elite athletes through:

• Foreign training and international exposure.
• Specialised coaching and equipment.
• Monthly stipend of ?50,000 for Core Athletes.
• ?25,000 monthly support for Development Group athletes.

As of April 2026, the scheme supports:

• 51 Core Athletes
• 52 Para Core Athletes
• 130 Development Athletes

Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI)

KIRTI identifies sporting talent among children aged 9–18 years using standardised testing, AI-based assessment, and data analytics.

• 174 Talent Assessment Centres established.
• Over 1.87 lakh assessments completed.

Sports Goods Manufacturing Initiative

The Union Budget 2026–27 allocated ?500 crore to strengthen domestic sports goods manufacturing, promote innovation, and position India as a global manufacturing hub.

Significance

Khelo India has transformed sports development by creating a structured pathway from grassroots talent identification to international competition. Investments in infrastructure, sports science, coaching, and athlete support have strengthened India's sporting ecosystem while promoting inclusive participation through dedicated events for university athletes, para-athletes, tribal communities, and emerging disciplines.

These initiatives also contribute to employment generation, indigenous sports manufacturing, and the long-term goal of making India a leading sporting nation by 2036 and a top-five sporting nation by 2047.

India's Sporting Performance

India's recent achievements reflect the impact of these initiatives:

• Olympics: Medal tally increased from 2 (Rio 2016) to 7 (Tokyo 2020) and 6 (Paris 2024).
• Paralympics: Improved from 4 medals (Rio 2016) to 29 medals (Paris 2024).
• Asian Games: Achieved a record 107 medals at Hangzhou 2023.
• Commonwealth Games: Won 64 medals (2014), 66 (2018) and 61 (2022).