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Khelo India: Government-Backed Initiative Revitalising India's Sporting Landscape

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  //sports-competition.news-articles.net/content/2 .. ive-revitalising-india-s-sporting-landscape.html
  Published in Sports and Competition on Tuesday, November 25th 2025 at 22:56 GMT by mykhel

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Khelo India: How the Government‑Backed Initiative is Revitalising India’s Sporting Landscape, According to Wrestlers

The Government of India’s Khelo India programme has quickly become the country’s flagship platform for nurturing sporting talent across the country. In a recent article on MyKhel, several of the nation’s top wrestlers—including world‑champion Bajrang Punia, former Olympic bronze‑medallist Sushil Kumar, and rising star Ritu Kaur—attest that Khelo India has “been doing wonders” for sport in India. The piece traces the programme’s origins, its structural pillars, and the tangible impact it has already had on athletes at grassroots and elite levels.

1. The Vision Behind Khelo India

Launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Khelo India was conceived as a nationwide ecosystem aimed at creating a “sporting culture” that would foster talent from a young age to the international stage. The programme’s objectives are multi‑pronged:

• Talent Identification: Conduct a nationwide search for young athletes through school and community events, ensuring that talent is discovered even in remote and underserved regions.
• Infrastructure Development: Build or upgrade over 1,200 state‑wide training centres (Khelo India Centres of Excellence, KICEs) that cater to all 15 sports earmarked for the programme.
• Coaching & Nutrition: Provide specialised coaching, sports science support, and nutrition plans to athletes who qualify for higher tiers.
• Financial Incentives: Offer scholarships, travel allowances, and performance‑based awards to keep athletes focused on training rather than financial worries.

The article underscores that the Khelo India budget for 2023‑24 alone exceeds ₹4,000 crores, a figure that signals the government’s commitment to a long‑term investment in sports.

2. From School Games to World Championships

Khelo India’s first step is the Khelo India Schools Games, a competition that covers 30 sports across 12 weight categories for boys and girls. The article notes that the 2022 edition saw participation from over 25,000 athletes across 800 schools—an increase of 40 % from the previous year. The winners move on to the Khelo India Junior Championships, and the best performers are shortlisted for the national squad.

“The pathway is clear now,” says Bajrang Punia. “We no longer have to rely on sporadic state trials; there’s a structured, transparent ladder that takes a child from school grounds straight to the national team.”

The piece cites data that, as of 2024, more than 350 athletes have earned Khelo India scholarships, with 30 of them having progressed to the Indian national squads in sports ranging from wrestling and kabaddi to gymnastics and boxing.

3. State‑of‑the‑Art Training Centres

Central to the programme’s success are the Khelo India Centres of Excellence. Each centre is a state‑of‑the‑art facility equipped with modern mats, weight‑lifting rigs, and bio‑feedback stations. The article highlights several success stories: the Centre in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where wrestler Sushil Kumar trained in 2019, and the Centre in Kalyan, Maharashtra, which produced a new national record in men’s 65‑kg wrestling in 2023.

“Being at a KICE means we get world‑class coaches and sports scientists,” remarks Ritu Kaur, who won bronze in the Asian Championships last year. “Before, we would travel to Delhi or Mumbai for coaching. Now, we’re right here with the best.”

The article also notes that the government’s partnership with corporate sponsors has allowed for state‑of‑the‑art nutrition labs and physiotherapy suites at each centre, a feature that athletes have lauded.

4. Coaching, Sports Science, and Mentorship

While infrastructure is key, the programme’s biggest differentiator is its focus on human capital. The article outlines a tiered coaching model:

• National Level Coaches: Certified by the Indian Olympic Association, they run monthly workshops for all KICE coaches.
• Sports Scientists & Nutritionists: Embedded in each centre to monitor biometrics, diet, and recovery protocols.
• Mentorship Programs: Senior athletes mentor younger prospects via video calls and in‑person sessions.

“The coaching is not just about techniques; it’s about building a mindset,” says Sushil Kumar. “We get exposure to sports psychologists and nutritionists. It’s a holistic approach.”

The article references the “Athlete Development Programme” (ADP), a 3‑year longitudinal study that tracks athletes’ progress from physical conditioning to psychological resilience. Early data indicates a 20 % improvement in functional strength scores among wrestlers enrolled in ADP.

5. Financial Relief and Performance Incentives

One of the biggest barriers for athletes from lower‑income backgrounds has historically been the cost of training, equipment, and travel. Khelo India addresses this through multiple financial mechanisms:

• Stipends: Up to ₹1.5 lakh per year for athletes in the top 10 percentile of each weight category.
• Travel & Accommodation: Full coverage for national and international competitions.
• Performance Bonuses: Tiered rewards for podium finishes at state, national, and international meets.

The article features an anecdote from a 16‑year‑old wrestler in Odisha, who used his Khelo India stipend to purchase a new pair of wrestling shoes—“a small thing, but for me, it meant a chance to focus fully on training.”

6. Challenges and Future Road‑Map

Despite the many successes, the article does not shy away from pointing out areas for improvement. A recurring theme is the gap between rural and urban facilities. While KICEs exist in every major state, the quality and maintenance of smaller village training halls remain uneven. Moreover, the article notes that data integration across state federations is still in its infancy, hindering a holistic analysis of athlete progression.

The Ministry’s upcoming strategy, announced in a joint press release referenced by the article, includes:

• Expanding KICEs into 30 new districts over the next five years.
• Introducing a digital platform that tracks athlete biometrics, training logs, and injury history.
• Strengthening ties with private sports academies to create a feeder system for Khelo India.

7. Athletes Speak: A Collective Voice

The article’s most compelling feature is the chorus of voices from wrestlers who credit Khelo India for their rise. Bajrang Punia, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, describes the programme as a “lifeline” that gave him access to high‑quality coaching and international exposure. Sushil Kumar, the former Olympic medalist, notes that Khelo India has helped standardise talent scouting across the country, eliminating the “subjective” nature of selection in the past.

“We have a transparent pathway now,” says Ritu Kaur. “If you are good, you get a scholarship, you get a coach, you get to travel. No more waiting for a chance at a state meet. The system is fair.”

8. Conclusion

The MyKhel article paints a vivid picture of Khelo India as a transformative force in Indian sport, especially in wrestling—a discipline that has historically been a point of national pride. By combining robust infrastructure, scientific coaching, and financial support, the programme has carved out a sustainable ecosystem that nurtures talent from the ground up.

For wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Sushil Kumar, and Ritu Kaur, Khelo India is not merely a funding scheme—it is a catalyst that has turned raw potential into podium finishes. The initiative’s impact is already visible on the international stage, and the future roadmap promises to deepen its reach and fine‑tune its effectiveness.

In an era where India is eager to assert itself as a sporting superpower, Khelo India appears to be a promising engine, turning the country’s vast athletic talent into global champions.