BJP MP Anurag Thakur, former Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, on Sunday, 26 July 2026, replied to a post by young Indian squash player Anahat Singh on X, offering a brief but pointed gesture of appreciation with a raised-hands emoji — a public show of support from one of India's most prominent sports-policy voices.

Context

The reply, though terse, carries weight given Thakur's long association with Indian sports administration. As a former minister who oversaw the Khelo India programme, his public acknowledgement of junior athletes on social media has consistently drawn attention to rising talent outside mainstream cricket. Anahat Singh, a teenage squash prodigy from India, has built a reputation through wins in national junior circuits and appearances in international junior competitions.

Thakur's gesture fits a well-established pattern among ruling-party MPs who use X to spotlight individual sporting achievements, lending informal but visible political backing to non-cricket disciplines.

Policy Backdrop

The Khelo India programme, launched in 2017, was designed to identify and fund grassroots talent across multiple sports, including squash. The scheme provides financial support, coaching infrastructure, and competitive exposure to junior athletes who might otherwise lack institutional backing. Squash, a sport with a historically thin support base in India compared to cricket or badminton, has been a quiet beneficiary of this push.

During his tenure as Sports Minister, Thakur was vocal about expanding India's medal footprint at continental and Olympic levels beyond its traditional strongholds. His continued engagement with junior athletes on social media, even after leaving the ministry, signals an enduring personal investment in that agenda.

Stakeholders and Impact

For junior squash athletes like Anahat Singh, a public mention from a figure of Thakur's stature can translate into heightened visibility — potentially influencing selection committees, sponsors, and sports bodies. The Squash Rackets Federation of India and the broader ecosystem of junior coaches and academies stand to benefit when political figures amplify the sport's profile.

Such moments also reinforce the government's stated narrative that India is nurturing a new generation of world-class athletes across diverse disciplines, a message that resonates ahead of major international junior calendars.

What's Next

Watchers of Indian junior squash will be tracking selection announcements for the next junior Asian squash championships, where players like Anahat Singh are potential contenders. Any fresh Khelo India funding allocations directed at squash infrastructure would be a concrete policy follow-through to the kind of informal encouragement Thakur's post represents.

As India's ambitions in non-cricket sports grow, the intersection of political visibility and institutional support will remain a defining factor in how quickly young talent like Anahat Singh is able to scale up on the world stage.