Former rifle shooter, Olympic medalist and Rajasthan’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, praised the central government’s efforts to uplift athletes, drawing a comparison between the Khelo India scheme and American college sports programs, which have been instrumental in making the U.S. a dominant force in global sports.
Rathore was speaking at the Army Sports Conclave in New Delhi.
During the event, Rathore said, “We used to hear that American players are great. This is because American college games are held. Colleges in America accept athletes and give them time to develop. People from all over the world want to go there and play.”
Rathore highlighted that through the Khelo India scheme, the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is providing “client services” to top athletes, including training, coaches, and proper communication with federations.
“Khelo India is at the same level as American college games and competitions. Just as a top athlete needs managers, PM Modi and his government are providing ‘client services’ to top players while targeting the Olympic podium, including training, expenses, communication with federations, coach support, sports science, and more,” he added.
Khelo India was launched as a flagship sports scheme by the central government in 2018, when Rathore was the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports. The scheme hosts various competitions, such as the Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India Winter Games, and Khelo India University Games. Khelo India centers also provide world-class facilities to athletes. Additionally, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) offers athletes the necessary support to achieve their Olympic dreams.
These schemes have yielded results, as India recorded its highest-ever tally at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with a total of seven medals. The country followed this up with six medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, including one silver and five bronze medals.
India also improved its Paralympic performance, increasing its medal tally from 19 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics to 29 at the Paris Paralympics, including seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze medals.
Furthermore, during the Asian Games and Asian Para Games held last year in Hangzhou, India crossed the 100-medal mark for the first time, winning 107 and 111 medals, respectively. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, India secured 61 medals, including 22 golds.