Government Launches KIRTI Phase Two to Scout Budding Athletes Nationwide

Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya launched the second phase of KIRTI at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, aiming to identify and nurture promising athletes. The initiative targets a wide range of young talent from diverse regions, with plans for extensive assessments and training programs.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, inaugurated the second phase of the KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification) program at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The event saw participation from Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari, notable athletes, senior officials from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and MCD school children, as per a press release from the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

In his address, Dr Mandaviya stressed the vast potential residing within India's diverse regions. 'KIRTI aims to spot talented athletes and develop their skills,' he said. He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on the importance of sports, noting that the government's focused approach has led to an enhanced medal tally in recent global championships, including the Olympics. Dr Mandaviya announced that the government plans to identify 1 lakh young athletes within 100 days under the KIRTI program.

KIRTI's second phase marks the start of a nationwide talent hunt, with a goal to make India one of the top 5 Olympic nations by 2047. Already, 28 out of 117 athletes representing India in the Paris Olympics have emerged from the Khelo India ecosystem. The program uses IT tools and global best practices for its talent identification model. In Delhi, over 25,000 MCD students will undergo KIRTI assessments. Dr Mandaviya emphasized the KIRTI program's commitment to mass participation and sports excellence, with plans to complete over 1 lakh assessments within 100 days and later scale up to 20 lakh assessments annually.