KIRTI to Find 1 Lakh Future Olympic Champions in 100 Days: Dr. Mandaviya

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th July. Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on Friday inaugurated the second phase of the KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification) programme at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The launch event was attended by MP Manoj Tiwari, eminent athletes Kamaljeet Sehrawat, senior officials from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sports Authority of India (SAI), and students from MCD schools.

Dr. Mandaviya emphasized India’s vast potential, stating, “India is full of diversity and potential. There has never been a shortage of brainpower, manpower, or talent in India.” He highlighted that the KIRTI programme aims to identify and nurture young athletes from all corners of the country, including remote and underdeveloped areas.

The Minister noted, “Our Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi has consistently highlighted the importance of sports. To transform India into a global sports superpower, we are committed to supporting talented athletes and increasing our medal tally at international events.” Dr. Mandaviya expressed optimism about the KIRTI programme’s role in producing future champions, encouraging young participants with a vision to make India one of the top 5 nations in the Olympics by 2047.

The KIRTI programme, which aims to identify 100,000 young athletes within 100 days, will offer opportunities to develop sports skills across diverse backgrounds. The initiative will begin with assessments in Delhi, where over 25,000 students from MCD schools will be evaluated across five major sports disciplines.

Dr. Mandaviya stated, “We are leveraging IT tools and global best practices in our talent identification model. KIRTI is designed to ensure mass participation and excellence in sports. Our goal is to complete over 1 lakh assessments within 100 days and scale up to 20 lakh assessments annually.”

The KIRTI programme’s third phase will incorporate all 20 disciplines under the Khelo India scheme. The new phase marks a significant step toward realizing the vision of a thriving sports ecosystem in India.