Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Khelo India Dialogue on Thursday, 28 August 2026, via video conferencing at 11 am IST, connecting with young people across India as part of National Sports Day 2026 celebrations. The programme, organised by Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), will bring together youth at two colleges in every district across all States and Union Territories, positioning sport as a vehicle for youth leadership, civic engagement, and nation-building.

What the Khelo India Dialogue Covers

The dialogue is designed to go well beyond sport. It will bring together five broad themes under a Yuva Samvaad format: strengthening India's sports ecosystem through better facilities, coaching, and sports science; nurturing talent for the 2036 Olympics through scientific identification and transparent athlete selection; building a new generation of youth leaders through governance platforms and MY Bharat-led volunteering; developing civic-mindedness and future-ready skills aligned with the Viksit Bharat agenda; and advancing the Nasha Mukt Yuva movement, using sport and peer networks to combat substance abuse.

India's 2036 Olympic Ambitions in Focus

The event comes as India actively prepares its bid to host the 2036 Olympics, a goal that has elevated the urgency of building both athletic infrastructure and a broader sporting culture. The Khelo India Dialogue is intended to place young people at the centre of that longer-term journey — not merely as athletes or spectators, but as volunteers, civic participants, and contributors to national development. Notably, this is among the first large-scale youth consultations explicitly tied to the 2036 hosting ambition.

Structure and Reach of the Programme

The national address by Modi will be followed by local interactions involving MY Bharat volunteers, local sportspersons, and public representatives. Youth with an interest in sport will also have the opportunity to engage directly with leading Indian athletes and medal winners. The initiative is reinforced through weekly Jan Bhagidari activities under the Prime Minister's 100-week nationwide campaign launched on 2 August.

Broader Youth-Development Agenda

The format reflects the government's attempt to merge India's sporting ambitions with its youth-development framework. By holding the dialogue ahead of National Sports Day — observed annually on 29 August to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand — the Centre is seeking to turn the occasion into a wider conversation on how sport can help shape a fitter, more disciplined, and socially engaged generation. The programme's scale, spanning every district in the country, signals an intent to make youth participation structural rather than symbolic.