Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August 2026 announced a nationwide talent hunt programme targeting children aged 5 to 15, with the explicit goal of qualifying Indian athletes in at least three-fourths of all Olympic events by the 2036 Games. The announcement, made during his address from the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day, drew an enthusiastic response from athletes and coaches gathered in Gandhinagar.

What the Programme Entails

Addressing the nation, Modi underscored a stark gap in India's Olympic footprint: of the roughly 40 disciplines and nearly 350 events that make up the Olympics, India currently cannot even qualify in at least two-thirds of them. The new initiative aims to reverse that by scouting young prospects from every corner of the country and channelling them into specialised, world-class training pipelines.

'We have decided that in 2036, we should participate in at least three-fourths of the events. We are launching a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 to identify prospects in every corner of the country. They will get special training to become world-class athletes,' Modi said in his address.

Athletes and Coaches Welcome the Move

Sujata, an international handball player who has competed at multiple Youth Asian and World tournaments, called the initiative a necessary step toward rural outreach. 'If children aged 5-10 get timely opportunities and good coaching, then India can excel in several sports in the future,' she said. Nitin, a national-level player, echoed the sentiment, noting that more than half the Olympic disciplines currently see no Indian participation and that this programme fills a long-standing void.

Handball coach Binoy D.S. highlighted the grassroots dimension of the announcement. 'The main thing in the message that the Prime Minister gave for India today was to give maximum chances to our young players, so that we can find children from the grassroots level and provide maximum support in other games to prepare them to play for India,' he said.

Kho Kho Community Sees an Olympic Opening

Sachi Bhargo, a Kho Kho World Cup winner, linked the talent hunt directly to India's upcoming hosting ambitions. 'PM Modi is putting in efforts for the Indian athletes, keeping in mind the Commonwealth Games 2030 and the 2036 Olympics. His efforts to identify 5-10 year old talents from grassroots levels are a good step. This can enable more athletes to bring medals at the international level,' Bhargo said.

Dhanvin Khopkar, also a Kho Kho player, went a step further, calling for the sport's inclusion in the Olympics itself. 'Kho Kho should also be included in the Olympics, so that children can get the chance to play that as well,' Khopkar said, adding that the programme could help India secure representation in disciplines where it currently has none.

The Bigger Picture: 2036 Olympics Bid

Modi also reiterated India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympics and confirmed the country will host the Commonwealth Games in 2030. The talent hunt is positioned as the supply-side investment to match those hosting ambitions — ensuring India does not merely stage the Games but competes meaningfully across them. This comes amid a broader push to professionalise grassroots sport infrastructure, a gap that has historically limited India's medal count relative to its population.

With the programme's operational details yet to be publicly released, sports administrators and federations will be closely watched for their role in implementation across states and districts.