‘Rising Together’: India unveils vision for 2036 Olympic bid, first IOC presentation set for November

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha NEW DELHI: India has unveiled ‘Rising Together’ as the vision for its bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha confirming that the country’s first presentation of the project to the future IOC host committee will take place in late November.India is among seven countries currently in talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 2036 Games, along with Germany, Hungary, Qatar, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkey. According to the IOC, countries were invited to present their respective Games projects to the Commission for Future Hosts in November.Ahmedabad is India’s proposed host city, with the country submitting its expression of interest to host the 2024 Games.

“Rising Together” is the heart of India’s vision

Mandaviya said India’s Olympic ambitions are based on using sports as a catalyst for the country’s wider transformation.“India’s ambition for 2036 is rooted in a simple idea: that sports can help shape our nation’s future. Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would inspire millions of young Indians to participate in sports, foster healthier and more active communities, and create new opportunities for our youth in education, employment and social development,” Mandaviya said in a report released by the IOA.Usha said the IOA was honored by the IOC’s recognition of India’s aspirations and described “Rising Together” as more than just a slogan.“Rising Together for us is not just a slogan – it is a strong commitment to unite the energy, ambition and diversity of India behind a shared Olympic dream,” said Usha.“As we develop our vision for 2036, we want to create Games that reflect the confidence of a young, dynamic and growing India, while contributing to the ambition of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement to reach new generations, new communities and new horizons around the world.”She added: “We look forward to continuing our exchange with the IOC and presenting our ambitions to the Commission for Future Hosts for the first time at the end of November.”

IOC to assess athletes’ heritage and experience

The revamped IOC selection process will assess potential hosts on technical factors, including master plans for the venue and athlete experience, funding strategies, political and public support, capacity to deliver the Games and legacy plans aimed at creating long-term benefits for host communities.The IOA said the ‘Rising Together’ vision reflects its belief that hosting the Games could become a catalyst for India’s sporting transformation.“For India, hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be a generational opportunity to place sport at the center of national life,” the IOA said.“The project is designed to act as a catalyst for wider sporting transformation: inspiring millions of young people to move from watching sport to playing it, supporting healthier and more active communities and making sport a driver of education and career opportunities,” he added.The IOC will select interested parties in March 2027, after which the selected projects will proceed to the Strategic Dialogue. Preferred hosts are expected to enter a targeted dialogue in 2028, with the final host chosen by IOC members in mid-2029.