Sansad TV Perspective: Five Years of Khelo India

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: ‘Five Years of Khelo India’.

Anchor: Vishal Dahiya 

Participants:

• Kunal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports 

Context:

Introduction:

• The Khelo India Mission has just completed 5 years. It’s a union government programme which envisages providing sports infrastructure of international standards to budding athletes and to inculcate a holistic approach towards  fitness for the citizens. 
• The ultimate aim of the programme is to make India a sporting nation. The programme started in 2018 and now boasts of supporting over 2500 chosen athletes in different disciplines.  

Key Focus Areas:

• The program aims to encourage and promote sports at the grassroots level and provide access to sporting facilities and infrastructure to all citizens, regardless of their economic background or geographical location.
• Khelo India aims to develop and train coaches who can provide high-quality coaching and training to athletes at the grassroots level. This is essential to ensure that the country has a steady supply of talented athletes who can compete at the highest level.
• It focuses on identifying young talent at an early age and providing them with the necessary support and training to nurture their skills and develop their potential. 
• The program also provides financial assistance to promising athletes to help them pursue their sporting goals.
• The program aims to develop world-class sports infrastructure in the country, including training facilities, stadiums, and sports complexes. This will help create a conducive environment for athletes to train and compete at the highest level.
• Khelo India aims to create a structured and comprehensive competition system that will provide opportunities for athletes to compete at various levels, from the grassroots to the national and international levels. 

Achievements:

• 2500 youngsters are being supported with Rs. 6.28 lakhs annually under the scheme and are being identified to represent India at international competitions. 
• Successful athletes are further being inducted into TOPS for higher levels of training. 110 KI athletes are part of TOPS.
• To ensure competition opportunities for young athletes, 5 Khelo India Youth Games with 43K participants have been organised. 
• Also, Khelo India Leagues are held throughout the year, with a special focus on the girl athlete. More than 1.25 lakh girls have participated in it. 
• To ensure sports infrastructure availability in remote corners of India, 946 Khelo India Centers have been set up. 
  • By August 15, 2023, 1000 KICs are expected to be operational, giving every district in India a sports facility for the training of grassroots-level athletes. 
• A special emphasis on indigenous games under Khelo India has ensured the popularity of India’s traditional sporting disciplines like Gatka, Thang Ta, Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu and Yoga. 
  • These games have also been included in KIYG to give athletes an impetus to practice them.

Significance:

• The importance of sports and fitness in one’s life is invaluable, as playing sports inculcates team spirit, and develops strategic and analytical thinking, leadership skills, goal setting, and risk-taking.
• Participation in the Khelo India program has helped athletes improve their confidence as athletes who participate in competitive sports may have problems with self-confidence at one time or another. 
• The program also promotes socialisation by bringing players from different places closer together, helping them to adjust themselves to different situations and attain qualities such as cooperation, fair play, sportsmanship, tolerance, and sympathy. 
• The program also emphasises the importance of teamwork, providing opportunities for children to learn how to work with others and manage different personalities, find their way as leaders, and better understand the way they work as individuals.
• The Khelo India program also encourages the participation of girls in sports, providing them with a great opportunity to showcase their talents. 
• Additionally, the program aims to measure the motor development and tracking of physical fitness components of primary school children in India and promote sports for development and peace by using sports, physical activity, and play to attain specific development and peace objectives.
• Finally, the program strives to promote “Sports for Excellence” as well as “Sports for All,” mainstreaming sports as a tool for national development, economic development, community development, and individual development.

Fit India:

• The “Fit India” and “Khelo India” initiatives are complementary to each other and integrate in several ways to promote fitness and sports in India.
• Firstly, the “Fit India” movement encourages people to adopt an active lifestyle through physical activities like sports, exercise, and yoga. This aligns with the objectives of the “Khelo India” initiative, which aims to develop a sporting culture at the grassroots level and nurture young athletes.
• The “Fit India” movement also encourages people to stay fit and healthy, which can improve their performance in sports and other physical activities.
• The “Khelo India” initiative focuses on establishing sports infrastructure and sports academies in the country, which can provide a platform for people to engage in various physical activities and promote fitness.
• The “Fit India” movement can further support these efforts by promoting awareness and encouraging people to use these facilities for their fitness goals.

Road ahead:

• Developing a comprehensive action plan for the effective participation of Indian sportspersons in future requires a multi-faceted approach that includes short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures.
• The Indian government could allocate resources to identify and support promising athletes who show potential to perform well in the upcoming Olympic Games. This could include providing funding for training, equipment, and coaching.
• Providing incentives to athletes who perform well in the Olympics could motivate them to perform even better. These incentives could include cash rewards, job opportunities, and other benefits.
• Indian athletes could benefit from more international exposure through participation in international competitions and training camps. The government could provide funding for athletes to participate in international competitions and hire foreign coaches to train them.
• Encouraging private investment in sports can help provide the necessary funding for athletes to train and compete effectively. The government could provide tax incentives to businesses that invest in sports and create a more conducive environment for private investment.
• Improving sports education in schools and universities can help create a more robust talent pipeline for the future. 
• The government could promote sports through media campaigns and create awareness programs that encourage more people to participate in sports.

Read all the previous Sansad TV Perspective articles in the link.