Modi: India Eyeing 2036 Olympics

Speaking after inaugurating the 72nd National Volleyball Tournament in Varanasi, Modi pointed out that in the past decade, India has hosted more than 20 major international events across several cities, including the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, the Hockey World Cup and major chess tournaments.

“The 2030 Commonwealth Games will be held in India, and the country is making strong efforts to host the 2036 Olympics, with the aim of giving more and more players greater opportunities to compete,” Modi said.

Addressing the function via video conference, Modi said there are great similarities between volleyball and India's development story. "Volleyball is not just an ordinary sport. It is a game of santulan (balance), both on this side and the other side of the net. It is a game of cooperation… And this game also showcases sankalp (determination) and shakti (strength). Volleyball connects us through team spirit," he said.

Pointing out that today the world is praising India’s growth and economy, Modi said this progress is not limited to the economic front but is also reflected in the confidence seen on the sports field. He said that in recent years, India’s performance across various sports has consistently improved since 2014 and expressed pride in seeing Gen-Z athletes hoist the tricolor on the field.

The Prime Minister recalled that there was a time when both government and society were indifferent towards sports, which created uncertainty among players about their future, and very few youth adopted sports as a career.

Highlighting that in the past decade, there has been a change in the mindset of both government and society towards sports, Modi pointed out that the government has significantly increased the sports budget, and today India’s sports model has become "athlete-centric", with a focus on talent identification, scientific training, nutrition and transparent selection, ensuring that the interests of players are prioritised at every level.

“Today the nation is riding on the ‘Reform Express’, with every sector and every development destination connected to it, and sports being one of them,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister highlighted that the government has undertaken major reforms in the sports sector, including the National Sports Governance Act and the Khelo Bharat Policy 2025, which will provide opportunities to the right talent and increase transparency in sports organisations. Modi emphasised that these provisions will allow the youth to advance simultaneously in both sports and education.

Underlining that at the school level too, efforts are being made to expose young athletes to Olympic sports, Modi said that through the Khelo India campaign, hundreds of youth have had the chance to advance to the national level.

The Prime Minister mentioned that only a few days ago, the Sansad Khel Mahotsav concluded, where nearly 1-crore youth showcased their talent. He expressed happiness that his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, had come up as a major sporting destination, and during the Sansad Khel Mahotsav, around 3 lakh youth from Varanasi demonstrated their strength and skills on the field.

Modi asserted that the transformation in sports infrastructure is also benefiting Varanasi. He said that modern sports facilities are being developed and stadiums for different games are coming up.