Khelo India Scheme: How India Is Building a Global Sporting Powerhouse Through Grassroots Talent and Modern Infrastructure
India’s journey towards becoming a global sporting nation is entering a new phase with increased government investment, improved sports infrastructure and a stronger focus on identifying and developing talent from the grassroots level. The expanded Khelo India Scheme, along with enhanced support for National Sports Federations, has emerged as a major pillar of this transformation with a combined financial outlay of ₹36,441 crore for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31.
The revamped programme aims to create a complete pathway for athletes, starting from talent identification in schools and villages to international-level performances at major competitions. Through scientific coaching, better training facilities, sports science support and wider competitive opportunities, the initiative seeks to strengthen India’s position in global sports.
The programme is also aligned with India’s broader sporting goals, including preparations for future Olympic and Paralympic campaigns, the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
Sports Emerging as a Tool for Nation Building
Sports have increasingly become an important part of India’s development strategy. Beyond medals and records, sporting achievements promote discipline, confidence, teamwork and national pride while inspiring younger generations to pursue excellence.
With nearly 65 per cent of the country’s population below the age of 35, India has a significant demographic advantage that can support the growth of a strong sporting ecosystem. Recognising this potential, the government has increased focus on creating opportunities for young athletes and expanding access to professional training.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has received a significantly higher allocation over the years. The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated ₹4,479.88 crore to the ministry, compared with ₹1,219 crore in 2013-14, reflecting the growing importance of sports development in national planning.
Khelo India Becomes the Foundation of India’s Sports Transformation
The Khelo India programme was launched in 2017 by merging earlier initiatives, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme and National Sports Talent Search Scheme. The objective was to create a unified system focused on discovering talent, developing athletes and strengthening sports infrastructure across the country.
The programme was designed to support athletes at different stages of their journey. It focuses on talent identification, coaching development, sports competitions, infrastructure creation and the use of modern sports science techniques.
A major goal of Khelo India is to establish at least one Khelo India Training Centre in every district while integrating areas such as nutrition, psychology, technology-based monitoring and performance analysis into athlete development.
Investment Growth Strengthens Sports Ecosystem
Government funding for Khelo India has expanded steadily since its launch. The scheme received an initial allocation of ₹1,756 crore between 2017-18 and 2019-20. During 2020-21, the allocation stood at ₹328.77 crore.
Between 2021-22 and 2025-26, the financial support increased substantially to ₹3,790.50 crore, allowing expansion of training facilities, athlete assistance programmes and grassroots sports development.
For 2026-27, the programme has received another allocation of ₹924.35 crore as it moves towards a more performance-focused approach aimed at producing athletes capable of competing at the highest international level.
Expansion of Sports Infrastructure Across India
The investment in sports development has resulted in the creation of a wider infrastructure network across the country. As of July 2026, 349 new sports infrastructure projects worth ₹3,176 crore have been approved under the initiative.
The Khelo India ecosystem now includes 1,067 Khelo India Centres, 267 academies and 2,745 Khelo India Athletes who receive support through coaching, equipment, medical assistance and monthly financial allowances.
These facilities have helped bring structured training opportunities closer to athletes, especially those from smaller cities and rural areas, allowing promising players to receive professional guidance without having to move far from their communities.
Revamped Khelo India Creates Complete Athlete Development Pathway
The newly expanded Khelo India framework aims to create an integrated athlete development system covering every stage of a sportsperson’s journey. The programme brings together National Centres of Excellence, Khelo India Centres of Excellence, Sports Authority of India Training Centres, Khelo India Accredited Academies, Khelo India Centres and Youth Sports Companies of the Armed Forces.
This integrated approach is designed to provide athletes with better infrastructure, professional coaching, sports science assistance and regular performance monitoring. The objective is to ensure that talented players receive consistent support from the early stages of their careers until they reach elite international competitions.
Early Talent Identification Gets Major Push
A key focus area of the revamped scheme is identifying sporting talent at a young age. The introduction of Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas aims to connect sports development with mainstream education.
The initiative is expected to create a stronger talent pipeline by finding promising athletes from schools and local communities. A new category of Emerging Khelo India Athletes will further expand the structured athlete pool and create a pathway towards elite programmes such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
More Competitions to Provide Greater Exposure
Regular competitive opportunities are another important part of the Khelo India vision. School-level competitions, university events, regional leagues and sport-specific tournaments are being promoted to provide athletes with more chances to test their skills and improve performance.
The programme also focuses on increasing participation among women athletes, para-athletes and players involved in indigenous sports. Support for events such as the National Games and international competitions is also being strengthened.
Technology and Sports Science Become Key Elements
The use of technology and scientific methods has become a major part of India’s sports development strategy. The expanded Fit India Movement aims to encourage healthier lifestyles, while a proposed National Coach Accreditation Board will work towards improving coaching standards.
A unified digital platform is also planned to connect athlete information, infrastructure details, competitions, performance assessments and funding-related data. This technology-driven approach is expected to improve monitoring and help create a more organised sports ecosystem.
Private Sector Partnership to Strengthen Sports Development
The government is also looking to increase collaboration with private sports academies and corporate organisations. These partnerships are expected to bring additional investment, expertise and innovation into athlete training and sports infrastructure development.
Enhanced support for National Sports Federations will help improve coaching systems, sports science facilities, international exposure programmes, equipment availability and athlete preparation for major global events.
Khelo India Games Become Major Talent Identification Platform
The Khelo India movement expanded further with the launch of the Khelo India School Games in New Delhi in 2018. After the involvement of the Indian Olympic Association, the competition was renamed the Khelo India Youth Games in 2019.
Over time, the platform expanded to include the Khelo India University Games, Khelo India Winter Games, Khelo India Para Games, Khelo India Beach Games, Khelo India Water Sports Festival and Khelo India Tribal Games.
Since 2018, more than 63,000 athletes have participated in Khelo India competitions, making the programme one of India’s largest platforms for discovering and nurturing sporting talent.
Supporting Elite Athletes Beyond Khelo India
Alongside Khelo India, initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) have supported India’s elite athletes. Launched in 2014 and revamped in 2018, TOPS provides assistance including foreign training, international competition exposure, specialised equipment, coaching camps and financial support.
As of April 2026, TOPS supports 51 Core Athletes, 52 Para Core Athletes and 130 Development Athletes. The scheme contributed to India’s medal-winning performances at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
India’s Growing Success on Global Sporting Stage
The expansion of sports programmes and infrastructure has reflected in India’s international performances. At the Olympic Games, India improved from two medals at Rio 2016 to seven medals at Tokyo 2020 and six medals at Paris 2024.
India’s Paralympic journey has shown even stronger growth, with the medal tally rising from four medals at Rio 2016 to 19 medals at Tokyo 2020 and a record 29 medals at Paris 2024.
At the Asian Games, India achieved its best-ever performance at Hangzhou 2023 with a historic 107-medal haul.
Long-Term Vision for India as a Sporting Nation
The Khelo India initiative represents a long-term effort to transform India into a major sporting power through grassroots development, modern infrastructure, scientific training and stronger institutional support.
By combining sports with education, technology, fitness and high-performance training, the programme aims to ensure that talented athletes receive opportunities regardless of their background or location.
With continued investment and support systems such as TOPS, KIRTI, National Sports Federations and improved infrastructure, India’s sporting ecosystem is moving towards producing more champions at the Olympics, Paralympics, Commonwealth Games and other international events.
