In Brief
- Questioning heavy reliance on singular veterans, Mandaviya specifically stated, "How long will Mirabai Chanu alone keep winning medals for us? We need to produce 10 more Mirabai Chanus," urging federations to institutionalize talent identification.
- The review meeting planned strategically for upcoming events like the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and the 2030 Games, aligning with the "Rising Together" vision targeting a top-10 finish at the 2036 Olympic Games and top-5 by 2047.
- Key directives included integrating sports psychologists and science experts, establishing decentralized state and district bodies, and implementing revised Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) guidelines.
Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a high-level review meeting with National Sports Federations (NSFs) in New Delhi to evaluate India's performance following a fourth-place finish at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Addressing sports administrators, the Minister emphasized that India can no longer sustain its international sporting footprint by relying on a handful of isolated champions.
Highlighting the need for broad-based bench strength, Mandaviya remarked, "How long will Mirabai Chanu alone keep winning medals for us? We need to produce 10 more Mirabai Chanus. Every federation must take this responsibility seriously." To achieve this, the Ministry outlined a structured framework focused on the "Rising Together" vision, which targets a top-10 finish at the 2036 Olympic Games and a top-5 spot by 2047, while mapping out preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The conclave also emphasized critical administrative and scientific upgrades. Minister of State Raksha Khadse urged the creation of decentralized state- and district-level bodies to ensure structured grassroots training pipelines. Furthermore, federations were directed to integrate sports psychologists to counter athlete mental fatigue, increase domestic competitions, resolve internal conflicts, and conduct transparent gap assessments.
To support these mandates, the Ministry released revised Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) guidelines aimed at aligning the Khelo India Scheme with elite developmental pipelines, alongside a revamped Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) framework to track youth transition into elite contenders.
