Government Boosts Khelo India Rising Talent Identification Program Ahead of Paris Olympics

New Delhi- As the Paris Olympics approach, the Government is set to reinvigorate the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) program under the leadership of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment.

Dr. Mandaviya will inaugurate Phase 2 of the initiative in New Delhi tomorrow. The first phase of KIRTI was previously launched in Chandigarh on March 12 this year.

Dr. Mandaviya will focus on the project's ambitious goal of conducting 20 lakh assessments in the fiscal year 2024-25 by involving all states and treating each district as a unit of assessment. This aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of promoting sports among every child in the country through mass participation and achieving excellence through Khelo India's structured programs.

In the initial phase of KIRTI, 3,62,683 registrations were recorded across 70 centers, resulting in nearly 51,000 assessments in 28 states and Union Territories. Maharashtra and Haryana, traditionally strong performers in Khelo India events, led the assessments with 9,168 and 4,820 respectively, followed by Assam with 4,703 assessments.

Athlete evaluations have taken place in 11 disciplines: Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Football, Hockey, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Volleyball, Weightlifting, and Wrestling. The highest number of assessments were in athletics (13,804) and football (13,483).

KIRTI aims to conduct 20 lakh assessments nationwide throughout the year to identify talent via designated Talent Assessment Centres. This large-scale scouting and assessment program is unprecedented in India and is part of the nation's aspiration to become a top 10 sports nation by 2036 and among the top five by 2047.