Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said that sports must become a people’s movement and efforts must be put to proliferate sporting culture in every household. He outlined the government’s vision to make India among the top five sporting nations in the world.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the PlayCom 2025: Business of Sports Summit organised by The Hindu Group’s Sportstar in partnership with global consulting firm KPMG India in New Delhi. “I am happy that through Sportstar, important conversations around sport, sports science and athlete welfare are being brought to the forefront,” he said.
Addressing the gathering in the presence of Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha, The Hindu Group Chairperson, Nirmala Lakshman, and Sportstar’s Editor Ayon Sengupta, the Minister underlined the need for a holistic and inclusive approach to transform India’s sporting landscape.
Highlighting the critical role of policy and good governance in sports, he said, “We are already working on a 10-year and a 25-year strategic plan to transform India’s sporting ecosystem. This long-term plan will guide us towards a Viksit Bharat and establish India among the top five sporting nations of the world, in line with the Prime Minister’s vision.”
Mandaviya said that the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 will ensure athlete-centric governance with dedicated mechanisms for dispute redressal, and will mandate representation for women in decision-making bodies. “It draws on global best practices but is rooted in our own model. We must learn from the world, but our framework must reflect India’s unique strengths. The policy emphasises good governance, strong infrastructure, the application of sports science, and systematic talent identification and nurturing,” he added.
He reiterated the importance of initiatives like “Fit India” and “Khelo India,” stating that they have successfully created awareness and enthusiasm among citizens. “Our vision is that every child should grow up with the passion to play, every street should become a playground, and every podium should be a stage for India’s flag to fly high,” he added. He also cited the importance of initiatives like “Sundays on Cycles” as symbolic of grassroots engagement and called for embedding sporting culture in every household. “Sport must become a people’s movement—-one in which every citizen has a stake,” he added.
Published on September 12, 2025
Leave A Comment