Nirmala Sitharaman (Image credit: X) NEW DELHI: The government’s flagship Khelo India program to identify local sports talent is set for a major push after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to launch the Khelo India mission, which will also prioritize long-term development of training centers and coaches over the next decade.Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Sitharaman said the proposed mission will enable an integrated framework for talent development through interconnected pathways. Launched in 2017, Khelo India initially focused on holding nationwide competitions across age groups to identify emerging talent.
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“The sports sector provides many avenues of employment, skills and job opportunities. As part of the systematic nurturing of sports talent being set in motion through the Khelo India programme, I propose to launch the Khelo India mission to transform the sports sector over the next decade,” Sitharaman said during her budget speech in the Lok Sabha.She added that the mission will facilitate several key areas of growth.“The mission will facilitate: (a) an integrated talent development pathway supported by training centers that are grassroots, intermediate and elite levels; (b) systematic development of coaches and support staff; (c) integration of sports science and technology; (d) competitions and leagues to promote sports culture and provide platforms; (e) development of sports infrastructure for training and competition.The Finance Minister also highlighted India’s potential to become a global hub for high-quality and affordable sports equipment.“I have proposed a dedicated sporting goods initiative that will support manufacturing, research and innovation in equipment design as well as materials science,” she said.Recently, a taskforce appointed by the Sports Ministry headed by Pullela Gopichand has called for an increased focus on creating a strong pool of high-quality coaches. The panel recommended the introduction of a target Olympic podium scheme for coaches to ensure they receive financial support similar to elite athletes to boost India’s medal ambitions.India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and has also submitted a bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
