Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday addressed the closing ceremony of the Sansad Khel Mahotsav 2025 in Ahmedabad, saying the initiative has evolved into one of India’s largest grassroots sports movements. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi were also present at the event.
Shah said the idea of an annual Sansad Khel Mahotsav was first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi five years ago and has since expanded across more than 300 Lok Sabha constituencies, drawing over 1.5 lakh participants on average. In the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency alone, 1.57 lakh people registered this year, including nearly 70,000 women. He urged that future editions should see even more participation from women and a higher number of female winners.
The three-phase event—from rural and ward-level competitions to Assembly and Lok Sabha-level contests—featured participants across seven age categories, from Under-9 to Over-60. Athletics, badminton, chess, Mallakhamb, swimming, yoga, kho kho, kabaddi and volleyball saw strong turnout, with Sanand alone recording nearly 59,000 participants.
Shah said the festival is helping identify sporting talent, promote fitness, strengthen the Fit India movement, and support the Nasha-Mukt Bharat campaign. He stressed that sports instill discipline, team spirit, patience and resilience—qualities essential in life.
He also highlighted Gujarat’s growing sports ecosystem, crediting initiatives such as Khelo Gujarat, Khel Mahakumbh, sports schools, academies and training centres for driving the “largest sports movement in any state”. He noted that the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad—built at a cost of about ₹800 crore—now offers world-class facilities and coaching.
The Home Minister underlined that Gujarat has secured hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and said Ahmedabad should prepare to host the 2036 Olympics. He urged Gujarat’s athletes to aim for the highest medal tally when India hosts the Olympics.
Shah said India’s sports budget had increased from ₹800 crore in 2014 to about ₹4,000 crore in 2025, contributing to improved medal hauls in the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Para Asian Games. He expressed confidence that India could rank among the top five nations when it hosts the Olympics.
The Minister urged athletes to commit to a life free of addiction and to plant at least five saplings each as part of the Green Gandhinagar Movement. Referring to the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, he said it stands as a reminder of Savarkar’s patriotism and should inspire players to cultivate a similar spirit.
