Sports Minister Seeks 5-Year Plans From Federations; Performance-Based Funding, Gene Testing Among Proposals
Performance-linked funding models and genetic testing to identify the ideal sport for young athletes were among the key ideas floated during the inaugural Khelo Bharat Conclave, where Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called on all National Sports Federations (NSFs) to submit a five-year strategic plan by the end of August.
Held over six hours, the one-day summit brought together leading voices from across Indian sports to shape a roadmap toward an ambitious goal: making India a top 10 sporting nation by the 2036 Olympics—which the country aspires to host—and ultimately breaking into the global top five by 2047.
'To begin with, I urge the NSFs to provide me a five-year policy by August, and then we can develop a 10-year plan," said Mandaviya during the packed session at a leading hotel.
With the 2026 Asian Games approaching, the Minister emphasized a holistic approach to sports development. 'We not only want to win medals at the Olympics but also make sports a commercial property—inviting the world to play in India and boosting sports tourism in Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir," he added.
Mandaviya also stressed the importance of internal conflict resolution within NSFs, urging them not to escalate disputes to global bodies. Notably, no federation representatives opposed the statement during the event.
Among the prominent suggestions was a performance-linked funding model, proposed by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice president Gagan Narang, an Olympic bronze medallist in shooting.
'He felt there should be metrics to quantify where an NSF stands in terms of performance," a ministry source told PTI. 'According to him, any financial incentive should be linked to that performance assessment."
Genetic Testing for Talent Identification
Controversial but attention-grabbing was the suggestion from All India Football Federation (AIFF) chief Kalyan Chaubey, who proposed the use of genetic testing to help identify the most suitable sport for aspiring athletes.
'Mr Chaubey felt that we should have this mechanism to understand what sport would work best for an aspiring athlete for optimum performance. It was an interesting suggestion," the source said.
Genetic testing involves analyzing an athlete's DNA for markers linked to muscle development, endurance, cardiovascular capacity, and oxygen intake—data that can help match athletes to sports aligned with their physical capabilities.
Push for Greater International Representation
Former IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta called for increased Indian presence in international sports governance, including the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
While India currently holds two major roles—Randhir Singh heads the OCA, and Nita Ambani serves on the IOC—Mehta urged the government to secure more such positions to enhance India's global influence in sport.
Mandaviya also appealed to corporate stakeholders, especially Public Sector Units (PSUs), to increase their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding toward sports from 1% to 5%.
However, corporations raised concerns over a lack of branding opportunities and complicated tax structures. 'Unlike cricket, they don't gain much visibility from their Olympic sport investments," said the source. 'They want greater ease of doing business, including tax relief."
Three-Tier Talent Pipeline in Focus
Officials also discussed a three-tier talent development structure, beginning with residential sports schools and culminating at Olympic Training Centres.
The government's new five-year plan (2026-27 to 2030-31) envisions:
Tier 1: Over 16,500 school athletes in residential sports schools.
Tier 2: Around 6,500 athletes reaching the intermediate level.
Tier 3: An elite group of over 1,300 athletes groomed as potential international medal-winners.
WFI Expresses Concern Over Corporate Interference
Not all feedback was positive. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) expressed dissatisfaction with corporate involvement in their sport.
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'They're unhappy with corporates 'luring away' talent groomed by the federation," the source revealed. 'According to WFI, these organizations do not follow their structured plans and interfere with athlete development."
(with PTI inputs)
tags :
aiff asian games Kalyan Chaubey khelo india Mansukh Mandaviya NSF sports minister
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July 17, 2025, 23:24 IST
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