Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 27 August addressed youth across India through a virtual Khelo India Samvaad, calling for a dramatic expansion of the country's participation in Olympic disciplines and announcing a nationwide talent hunt targeting children aged 5 to 15. The session, held at Hindu College, New Delhi, drew large attendance and was simultaneously organised at venues including NIFT Jodhpur.

Modi's Call for Broader Olympic Participation

At the heart of the Prime Minister's address was a frank admission about India's Olympic footprint. Modi noted that in the 2012 Olympics, India competed in only 13 sports, leaving more than 20 disciplines entirely uncontested. 'The bitter truth is that India's teams don't participate in half of the sports that are a part of the Olympics,' he said, adding that this gap has directly limited the country's prospects in the overall medal tally.

Modi pointed to sports such as surfing and sports climbing as areas where India's diverse geography could give it a natural advantage — disciplines where other nations routinely win medals but India has historically had no presence. 'We have to acquire the skills in these sports to increase the medal tally,' he said.

Talent Hunt and the 2036 Olympics Vision

With India eyeing a stronger showing at the 2036 Olympics, the Prime Minister stressed the urgency of identifying and grooming athletes early. A structured, nationwide talent hunt focused on the 5-to-15 age group was described as central to this strategy, ensuring that children are matched to sports suited to their individual abilities well before peak competitive age.

This vision was also flagged in Modi's Independence Day address from the Red Fort, where he drew the nation's attention to the challenge of limited Olympic participation. The Khelo India Samvaad served as a follow-through, translating that public commitment into a direct conversation with youth and athletes.

Ministers React: Rijiju and Shekhawat Praise the Programme

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed satisfaction at the turnout and the event's organisation. 'I was very pleased to see so many people attend the Prime Minister's Khelo India Samvaad and with the way the programme was organised at Hindu College,' Rijiju told reporters. He underscored that the core message — encouraging youth to pursue their sporting dreams with full government backing — was the session's defining takeaway.

Rijiju also pushed back on any perception of Khelo India as a recent initiative. 'The PM Modi government started this initiative in 2014 itself. Khelo India was not launched just recently,' he said, emphasising that the programme has already embedded itself among the country's youth over the past decade.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, whose event was hosted at NIFT Jodhpur, congratulated the institute's director, faculty, and volunteers from the My Bharat platform for the smooth conduct of the programme. Shekhawat described Modi's sports initiatives — including Khelo India and the Khelega India to Khilega India campaign — as a sustained effort to widen youth access to competitive sports.

Khelo India: A Decade-Long Push

Launched in 2014, the Khelo India programme has grown into one of the government's flagship grassroots sports schemes, funding infrastructure, identifying talent, and supporting athletes at the sub-elite level. The Samvaad format — a direct virtual dialogue between the Prime Minister and youth — adds a participatory dimension to what has traditionally been a policy-driven exercise.

With the 2036 Olympics bid in view, the government's focus on expanding the breadth of India's athletic participation — rather than deepening it only in traditional medal sports — marks a strategic shift. Whether that shift translates into podium finishes will depend on execution over the next decade.