Sports Minister Launches KIRTI Phase 2 to Unearth Young Athletic Talent

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the second phase of the KIRTI project, aiming to identify one lakh young athletes within 100 days. The initiative under the Khelo India scheme will scout talent nationwide and aims to propel India into the top five nations in the Olympic Games by 2047.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday launched the second phase of the KIRTI project with an aim to identify one lakh young athletes within 100 days, for support.

Mandaviya stated that the nationwide talent hunt under Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) will be a crucial step toward making India one of the top five nations in the Olympic Games by 2047.

''India is full of diversity and potential. There has never been a shortage of brainpower, manpower, or talent in India,'' Mandaviya commented after the launch at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

''Quality sportspersons can be found not just in cities but also in far-flung areas like the North-East, Coastal, Himalayan, and tribal regions.'' The third phase of KIRTI will cover all 20 disciplines of the Khelo India scheme, following its initial launch in Chandigarh on March 12.

''We need a steady stream of high-performing assets, and KIRTI will act as a stepping stone to sporting excellence,'' he emphasized.

''Opportunities to develop sports skills will be available to everyone, regardless of whether they live in villages or cities, or come from poor backgrounds,'' Mandaviya added. In Delhi, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) will assess over 25,000 MCD students across 12 zones, focusing on 5 major disciplines: Athletics, Football, Volleyball, Kabaddi, and Kho-Kho, over nearly a month.

Addressing the school children at the launch event, Mandaviya encouraged them, saying, ''Among you, there will certainly be an Olympic champion. I appreciate that your parents are backing you to pursue sports.''