Latest news with #NSP2025
India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
‘Today, Parents Feel Proud...': PM Narendra Modi Highlights India's Sporting Revolution Under NSP 2025
Speaking about the National Sports Policy 2025 (NSP 2025) and grassroots initiatives such as the Khelo India University Games, PM Modi noted that sports, once considered a distraction from studies, are now being celebrated alongside academic achievements. 'Today, parents feel proud when their children succeed in sports. This mindset change is vital for creating a robust sporting culture,' the Prime Minister said. Changing Perceptions For decades, many families in India discouraged active participation in sports, fearing it would harm career prospects. According to PM Modi, this mindset has shifted. Young athletes are now receiving recognition, encouragement, and opportunities to pursue their passion while building a future in professional sports. Infrastructure from Villages to the Olympics Under NSP 2025, the government aims to create a comprehensive sports ecosystem stretching from rural schools to the highest international levels. This includes developing infrastructure, training facilities, and institutional support to ensure athletes from far-flung regions have equal opportunities. PM Modi stressed that bringing sports to underserved areas will not only unlock hidden talent but also strengthen national unity by fostering participation from all corners of India. A Vision for the Future The Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to making India a strong sporting nation. By combining infrastructure investment with a societal shift in perception, the government hopes to ensure that sports become an integral part of education and community life. 'Just as we celebrate top marks in exams, we should also honour those who bring laurels to the nation in sports,' PM Modi said, urging citizens to support the country's athletes. With policies like NSP 2025 and platforms like Khelo India, the country is working toward a future where every child, regardless of where they live, has the chance to dream big in sports and make it to the global stage.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
PM Narendra Modi lauds National Spots Bill, plans to create sports ecosystem from farthest school to Olympics
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the rampart of the Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi (AP Photo/Manish Swarup) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stressed the importance of sports in shaping India's future, linking it to the country's goal of becoming a developed nation. Speaking from the Red Fort during his Independence Day address, Modi said the recently approved National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025 would strengthen the sporting ecosystem from the grassroots to the Olympics. 'Sports is an essential aspect of development and I am happy, that from the time when parents used to scoff at children spending time in sports, we have reached a point where it has changed. Now, parents are happy if children take interest in sports,' Modi said as quoted by PTI. He described it as a 'good omen' for the nation. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The NSP 2025, cleared by the Union Cabinet last month, replaces the two-decade-old National Sports Policy 2001. It aims to create a strong and inclusive sporting structure, with measures to ensure ethical practices, fair play, and healthy competition. The framework includes national agencies, inter-ministerial committees, and funding initiatives such as 'Adopt an Athlete', 'Adopt a District', and 'One Corporate-One Sport'. 'To promote sports, we have come up with the National Sports Policy after several decades. It would ensure development of sports, from school to the Olympics. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover the AI writing partner that understands your audience. Grammarly Install Now Undo We will develop an ecosystem whether it is coaching, fitness or infrastructure… that penetrates the farthest corner of the country,' the Prime Minister said. Within weeks of the policy's approval, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also ensured the passage of the National Sports Governance Bill in Parliament, introducing a stricter regulatory framework for National Sports Federations and a formal dispute resolution mechanism. The Prime Minister also said that fitness is integral to sporting culture and urged citizens to address the growing obesity problem. 'When I talk of fitness and sports, I want to talk about obesity, which is a huge problem for the country. It is predicted that every third person is expected to be obese in future, we have to reduce consumption of oil to win this war on obesity,' he said. Poll How important do you think sport is in shaping a nation's future? Extremely important Varies from person to person Not important Modi added that the government's efforts, including the Khelo Bharat Policy, are focused on building a robust and inclusive sports culture. 'From school-level games to the Olympics, our goal is to build a complete and robust ecosystem for sports,' he said. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
National Sports Policy scores a goal
Bhavani from Hyderabad was part of the Sport for Life Skills programme for six years. Today, she plays volleyball at the national level and works with the same organisation, leading programmes in the very school where she once studied. A proud role model in her community, Bhavani supports her sister's education and aspires to study further herself, proving how sport can transform lives and inspire communities. Sports (PIC FOR REPRESENTATION) According to a report developed by Sports and Society Accelerator (SSA) and Dalberg, playtime for girls falls by 36% in late adolescence in favour of chores (Report- State of Play in India, 2024). When the Union Cabinet approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025 this July, it ended a 24-year wait for an updated national framework. The 2001 policy, though path-breaking in its day, was born in an era when sports was largely about achieving excellence. NSP 2025 does more than refine medal-oriented pathways; it recasts sport as a cross-sectoral instrument of nation-building, explicitly tying it to social development and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy reframes success not as a narrow medal tally but as every girl reclaiming her right to play, every boy learning resilience on the pitch, and communities discovering that sport can be a driver of health, livelihood, and social cohesion. Sports for Social Development (S4SD) is a pedagogical approach as much as it is a strategy; it is a recognition that structured play and physical activity cultivate life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, collaboration, empathy, and communication, that echo through classrooms, workplaces, and civic life. International evidence is unequivocal: Children who engage in quality sport-and-play programmes show better school retention, higher self-esteem, lower substance abuse, and improved employability (The human capital model applied to Dutch young vulnerable people, 2018). Sports in India was perceived as male, urban, and elite. NSP 2025 attempts to upend those stereotypes by explicitly mentioning girls, tribal youth, children with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. Yet, we need strong programme design to complement the policy, to dismantle barriers like early marriage, patriarchal norms, or disability stigma. With this lens, programme models should be adopted and scaled within governmental schemes like Samagra Shiksha or Khelo India. Likewise, programmes that adapt rules such as smaller teams, gender-neutral scoring, and assistive devices make play accessible to all, including children with disabilities while teaching peers empathy and inclusion. The dividends are far-reaching. Social Capital Theory argues that shared activities build bonding capital (within groups) and bridging capital (across groups), both critical to socioeconomic mobility. Local sports that mix castes or school games between different communities erode prejudice more effectively than discussion on inclusion. When girls captain a mixed-group football team or children from different communities celebrate a relay win together, they internalise lessons no classroom can match. By naming social development as a core pillar of the policy, it signals to diverse stakeholders, educators, corporates, donors, administrators that sport is no longer a co-curricular subject; it is a priority investment category on par with sanitation, nutrition, or digital literacy. A recent PACTA–SSA analysis shows that just 1.4 % of CSR spending in the last decade was earmarked for sport and development themes. NSP 2025, when operationalised well, has the potential to unlock a broader fund base —via direct line items in state budgets, CSR mandates, and innovative public-private partnership models. NEP 2020 was India's declaration that rote learning must yield to experiential learning. It put physical and socio-emotional development on equal footing with reading, writing, and arithmetic. Schools tend to treat physical education (PE) periods as expendable, and parents still view sport as peripheral. NSP 2025 arrives as the long-needed companion policy, spelling out how to embed play in the school timetable, who should teach it, and which assessment standards will count towards academic credits. In India, however, access remains painfully unequal. Roughly half of young children in rural or low-income areas still have no access to structured play; 31% of rural schools do not have a playground (ASER 2024). The shortage of dedicated PE instructors is a significant gap. The latest ASER 2024 findings reinforce the point: Only 16.5% of rural schools reported a dedicated PE teacher, while nearly a quarter had none. Consider Odisha's pioneering effort: The state linked PE to formal examinations, trained 7,500 teachers for secondary grades, and even rehired retired Physical Education Teachers (PETs) on contract. The result? PE periods are no longer 'free periods'; they are graded, structured sessions with clear learning outcomes. Odisha's experiment can serve as a template for other states but scaling demands three systemic shifts: Fast-track filling of sanctioned PE vacancies, development of PE textbooks under State Curriculum Framework (SCF) by considering NCERT's new KhelYatra PE textbook, which integrates sports with life-skills reflections and local games, and incentivising school system to equally map PE competencies as part of the PARAKH framework, with assessment that measures holistic development. Recommending physical, art and vocational education as mandatory for grades 9-12 is the step in the right direction. Equally necessary are safe, open spaces, and therefore to consider auditing school playgrounds through UDISE+, and potentially find ways to utilise panchayat, school-management-committee, and CSR funds to fill gaps. Encourage community access to playgrounds after school hours, turning school grounds into shared social hubs rather than idle turf to build greater cohesion and community ownership and maintenance of the space. NSP 2025 and NEP 2020 together sketch an inspiring vision: an India where every child, regardless of gender, caste, or geography, can learn, play, and thrive through sport. The wins are far greater with healthier and more confident young people. To borrow a sporting metaphor, NSP 2025 is our team selection; NEP 2020 is our match strategy. The next five years will decide whether we convert that strategy into victory measured not only in podiums finishes but also in villages where dropout rates plummet, girls occupy playgrounds, confidence soars, and youth unemployment falls because sport taught teamwork, discipline, and grit. If we seize the moment, NSP 2025 will stand as the reform that recognised play as serious business, serious enough to shape futures, economies, and nation building. The 2001 policy was a good starting point, the 2025 policy represents a systems-level shift embracing the full spectrum of what sports can do, level the playing field, get to the goal and take the country past the finish line. This article is authored by Dhanashri Brahme, chief of programmes and Subhomoy Bhaduri, associate director - capacity building and collaborations, Magic Bus India Foundation.
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi on 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025' - 'Villages, the poor and daughters are priority'
**EDS: THIRD PARTY IMAGE** In this screengrab from a video posted by @NarendraModi on July 25, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a joint press statement after delegation level talks with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, in Male. (@NarendraModi via PTI Photo) (PTI07_25_2025_000414B) Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Sunday through his ' Mann Ki Baat ' radio program about the newly introduced 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025' (National Sports Policy 2025), highlighting how schools and colleges will integrate sports into daily life and support sports startups. The policy, approved by the Union Cabinet earlier in July, aims to transform India's sporting landscape and make the country a global sporting powerhouse. "Villages, the poor and daughters are the priority of 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025'. Schools and colleges will now make sports a part of everyday life. Startups related to sports, whether they be sports management or manufacturing, will be helped in every way," Modi said during his address. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I have received messages from many young athletes and their parents. In these, the 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025' has been highly appreciated. The goal of this policy is clear - to make India a sporting superpower," the Prime Minister stated. M by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Knee Pain? Start Eating These Foods, and Feel Your Pain Go Away Learn More Undo odi emphasized the importance of self-reliance in sports equipment manufacturing, suggesting that the mission will strengthen when youngsters play with self-made equipment. "Sports create team spirit. This is the path to fitness, self-confidence and building a strong India. So play a lot, blossom a lot," he added. The new policy replaces the National Sports Policy of 2001 and presents a strategic roadmap to establish India as a major contender in international sporting events, including the 2036 Olympic Games. The NSP 2025 was developed through extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including Central Ministries, NITI Aayog, State Governments, National Sports Federations, athletes, and domain experts. The policy focuses on excellence in global sports by strengthening programs from grassroots to elite levels, including early talent identification and nurturing. It aims to establish competitive leagues, develop sports infrastructure in both rural and urban areas, and create world-class systems for training, coaching, and athlete support. The policy also emphasizes the adoption of sports science, medicine, and technology to enhance athletic performance, along with training sports personnel, including coaches and support staff. NSP 2025 recognizes sports' economic potential and aims to promote sports tourism while attracting major international events to India. It also focuses on strengthening the sports manufacturing ecosystem and encouraging private sector participation through various initiatives. Poll What aspect of the 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025' do you find most impactful? Focus on grassroots sports. Support for sports startups. Self-reliance in sports equipment. During his address, Modi also praised the Indian contingent's performance at the World Police and Fire Games in the USA, where they won 588 medals. Team India secured 280 gold medals at the 21st edition of the games held in Birmingham, Alabama from June 27 to July 6. India ranked third overall, following the USA with 1,354 medals and Brazil with 743 medals. Modi expressed enthusiasm about India hosting the 2029 edition of the tournament in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, stating that India will showcase its hospitality and sports culture to foreign athletes. The World Police and Fire Games is an Olympic-style competition for law enforcement, firefighters, and officers from corrections, probation, border protection, immigration, and customs offices worldwide. The biennial event features over 60 sports as official games. "Do you know which is the biggest sporting event other than the Olympics? The answer is - 'World Police and Fire Games'... a sports tournament between policemen, firefighters, and security personnel from all over the world. This time, the tournament was held in America, and India created history in it. India won close to 600 medals. We reached the top three out of 71 countries. The hard work of those uniformed personnel who stand for the country day and night, paid off. These friends of ours are now holding the flag high in the sports field as well. I congratulate all the players and the coaching team," Modi said. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Mint
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Sports as a public good: Time for India to put this idea in play
On 1 July 2025, the Union cabinet approved the National Sports Policy 2025 (NSP 2025). The policy's ambitious five-pillar, whole-of-ecosystem approach aims to place sports on the front-line of national development. This prompts a double-headed question: What can sports do for India and what can India do for sports? From two pillars to five: 'Medals' is the word most likely to be evoked by any mention of sports and the NSP 2001 captured this limited imagination of the pursuit. Grassroots sports for talent identification and international success were its two pillars. The NSP 2025 seeks to reframe sports as a cornerstone of nation building across five pillars: excellence, social development, economic growth, mass participation and education. This signals a new identity and role for sports in recognition of its power to effect population-scale change. It can improve physical and mental health outcomes, drive educational attainment and personal growth, enable social inclusion and contribute to livelihood creation, all with excellence as an overarching goal. It is also an open invitation for every Indian to participate. Also Read: Why should India spend public money on sports? Let the goal dictate our strategy Sports as a public good: The policy adopts a full-stack, ecosystem-based strategy that aims to integrate physical literacy with education, incentivize community engagement, develop high-performance pathways and encourage inter-ministerial, centre-state and public-private collaborations. This goes beyond semantics to real significance. For physical literacy, the policy adopts a rights-based approach to sports in education and promotes mass participation in competitive sport and physical activity so it becomes a people's movement. In general, it positions sports as a public good, with wide engagement serving a broader purpose. Countries that embed sports within their civic, health and educational frameworks report better social indicators—reduced crime, a better sense of belonging, increased gender equity and stronger civic cohesion. With over 65% of India's population aged below 35, we are well placed to reap similar dividends. From a health economics standpoint, mass participation in sports can reduce the rising burden of non-communicable diseases while enhancing mental health and well-being. Also Read: Manu Joseph: India's Olympic Games shame is not about sports at all From a labour and livelihood perspective, the sports ecosystem—from coaching, event management, infrastructure and apparel to data analytics and broadcasting—can create hundreds of thousands of jobs. The global sports economy, including value generated in adjacent sectors, is valued at over $600 billion. Informal estimates suggest that the Indian sports economy accounts for about 0.1–0.2% of GDP, significantly lower than the 0.5% plus seen in high-growth economies. India lags on direct employment by sports as well. Even a modest convergence with global benchmarks could unlock thousands of crores in economic activity. The NSP 2025 points to a crucial opportunity for India as a creator of sports value. Efforts in this direction would include supporting sports technology startups, the domestic manufacturing of equipment and wearables, sports media production and innovation in fan engagement. The policy's emphasis on inclusivity can improve social equity and widen the talent pipeline across all sporting disciplines. Also Read: Phogat episode: Celebrate her grit but revamp sports administration Clarity, culture and winning: While the NSP 2025 outlines ambitious objectives, it acknowledges the role of better governance and institutions in implementing its vision. Its ultimate success will be judged on how its whole-of-government approach works out. Our current challenges range from good governance of sports bodies and countering age fraud and rampant doping to local coach development and fixing inconsistencies in our reward and recognition systems. For all five pillars to work in support of the policy's vision, we will need inter-ministerial trust and coordination as well as inter-state cooperation. Our sports framework will also have to accommodate more strategic players. The 'national team' should include private investors and enterprises, educational institutions, corporate social responsibility funders, philanthropies and social and civil society organizations. The government simply cannot implement its policy vision alone. To effectively nurture these new relationships, it should use its full policy toolkit, moving beyond its role as India's sole implementer. It must also adapt itself to play multiple roles as our sports regulator, funder, enabler, assessor and celebrant. Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026: Will US hostility trump its hospitality? Also in need of attention: fundamental research through surveys on the state of sports and physical activity, status checks on sports management and governance and other such endeavours that aim to enhance our knowledge for effective action to be taken. Schemes and programmes under the policy should be tied to measurable outcomes, such as improvements in physical literacy, health indices, access to sports infrastructure and employment generation. Monitoring must go beyond audits and become a window to identify opportunities as well as areas of impact. Finally, the policy's governance framework must mirror the enduring values of sports: fairness, accountability and transparency. Positioning sports as a public good calls for a mindset that looks at every Indian as a partner in progress. This is a defining moment for India. The NSP 2025 sells an ambitious dream. If it succeeds, hosting the Olympics won't be an end goal but just a pit-stop. Let's get playing. The authors are co-founders, Sports and Society Accelerator, a national sports promotion organization.
