Lucknow, Apr 13: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that India was earlier recognised as a nation that only played cricket and hockey, and asserted that the country is now successfully carving out a distinct identity for itself in major sporting events across the globe.
Speaking at the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh-2026 here on Monday, Singh said, “Earlier, we were recognised as a nation that played only cricket and hockey. And when it came to the Olympic Games, we were often unable to even register our name on the medals tally. However, India is now successfully carving out a distinct identity for itself in major sporting events across the globe.”
“When we speak of sports in India, we observe that sports have never truly received the prominence they rightfully deserve. Hence, it is very important that the significance of sports and athletes within society is not merely understood, but that they are also provided with every opportunity to excel,” he added.
Singh said that the state of sports in India has undergone a significant transformation in the past 10 to 12 years.
Highlighting the apathy in sports which existed earlier, Singh said, “There was a time when a sense of apathy (‘udaaseentaa’) prevailed regarding sports in our country. Very few people even considered the possibility of sports as a career. Neither was adequate attention paid to sports infrastructure, nor were the specific needs of the athletes properly addressed.”
“Even for those who wanted to play, the sporting infrastructure available in smaller towns was far short of the required standards. As a result, the talent of many athletes would succumb to these shortages.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government is today actively resolving these issues concerning sports and athletes,” Singh, who represents Lucknow in the Lok Sabha, said.
He said under the National Education Policy, sports is being taught as a subject. The establishment of the country’s first National Sports University will further help this, he said.
“Over the past 11 years, a new era of sports has dawned in India. This new era is not merely about establishing India as a major sporting power on the global stage. Rather, it marks a new phase of social empowerment through the medium of sports,” Singh said.
Referring to the ‘Khelo India’ programme, the Defence minister said, “Khelo India programme has given another encouraging result regarding the participation of our daughters. The Khelo India Women’s League is being organised across numerous cities in the country in which women’s participation is very high.”
Khelo India Programme has also restored the prestige of India’s traditional sports, he said, and added that the government is providing scholarships to encourage various disciplines such as Gatka (a form of martial art associated primarily with the Sikhs), Mallakhamb (an ancient Indian sport combining gymnastics, yoga, and wrestling), Thang-Ta (an ancient Manipuri martial art), Kalaripayattu (martial art originating from Kerala), and Yogasana.
“Today, modern sports infrastructure is being developed even in and around our villages. Even in the remotest corners of the country, better grounds, modern stadiums, and state-of-the-art training facilities are now being constructed. In Uttar Pradesh as well, thousands of crores of rupees are being invested in sports projects,” Singh said.
“Under the scheme for urban sports infrastructure, the previous government spent a mere Rs 300 crore over a period of six years. Under the ‘Khelo India’ campaign, our government has already spent nearly Rs 5,000 crore rupees on sports infrastructure.
“Thanks to this expanding sports infrastructure, it has now become easier for a greater number of athletes to engage in sports: Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government is today actively addressing and resolving the challenges faced by the sports sector and our athletes,” he said.
Singh said that Lucknow has always been renowned for its rich sporting culture.
“The ‘Sansad Khel Mahakumbh’ has been organized with the specific objective of further developing this sporting culture. It is my endeavor to further expand sporting facilities within the city of Lucknow.
“When the National Games were organised for the very first time after independence, they were held right here — in this very city of ours in 1948.
“Since then, national and international sporting events have continued to be organised here from time to time. And now, the ‘Sansad Khel Mahakumbh’ has also been added to Lucknow’s sporting calendar,” Singh said.
