Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday, 9 July declared his ambition to see Hyderabad host the 2036 Olympics, stating that the state was being readied in every dimension for the prestigious event. The announcement came at the inauguration of the Gachibowli Sports District and the Young India Physical Education and Sports University (YIPESU), co-inaugurated by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P.T. Usha.

What Was Launched

The newly inaugurated YIPESU and an adjoining world-class sports academy will be developed across 82 acres, offering state-of-the-art training infrastructure. The university was established through a public-private partnership, with the Telangana government granting full operational autonomy to its founding collaborators.

Those collaborators include prominent names from Indian sport and business: Dr Sanjiv Goenka, Abhinav Bindra, Kapil Dev, Kavya Maran, Upasana Konidela, and Ravikanth Reddy. Revanth Reddy said the university drew its name and spirit from the Young India weekly newspaper championed by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle.

Revanth Reddy on India's Sports Deficit

'The country has lagged behind in sports due to the absence of a clear policy in the sector. That is why we introduced a clear sports policy in Telangana,' the Chief Minister said. He called for a national framework governing sports training centres and universities, arguing that policy clarity was the missing link between raw talent and Olympic medals.

Revanth Reddy pointed to India's persistent position near the bottom of Olympic medal tallies, urging youth to treat sport as a serious career path. He also pledged that the Telangana government would take responsibility for providing government jobs to athletes who bring laurels to the country.

Hyderabad's Sporting History — and a 20-Year Gap

The Chief Minister acknowledged that Hyderabad had previously hosted marquee events including the Afro-Asian Games, the World Military Games, and the Commonwealth Games, but had gone without a major international sporting event for the past 20 years. 'Stadiums built 23 years ago were subsequently used for weddings and political events; we intend to revitalise all of them,' he said.

This comes amid India's formal bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, a campaign that has placed several Indian cities under the spotlight as potential venue clusters. Hyderabad's infrastructure push, including the Gachibowli Sports District, appears calibrated to strengthen the city's case.

Cash Incentives and Upcoming Events

At the ceremony, cash incentives totalling ₹7.15 crore were awarded to six Telangana athletes who have demonstrated exceptional talent across disciplines. The state also announced a packed sporting calendar: Telangana is set to host the 2026 Khelo India Youth Games (8th edition) and the National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet, along with the Hockey India League, World Pickleball League, Archery Premier League, and Tennis Premier League.

IOA President P.T. Usha congratulated the Chief Minister and the state government for establishing YIPESU with a strong commitment to sports promotion. Minister Vakiti Srihari, Government Advisor (Sports) A.P. Jithender, MLCs, MLAs, athletes, and students were also present at the event.

With YIPESU operational and a string of national and international events lined up, Telangana is positioning itself as one of India's primary sports hubs — and Hyderabad's Olympic ambition now has institutional infrastructure to back it.