Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday said India aspires to be among the top five sporting nation in the world by 2047, the centenary of the country’s independence.
Mandaviya said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has progressed by leaps and bounds in the sporting sector and many reforms have been introduced in the area.
“The Prime Minister has kept a goal to take the country among top 10 in the world in the next 10 years. We have bid for the Olympics in 2036. In 2047 we will celebrate 100 years of our independence and PM Modi has set a goal to be among top 5 sporting nations of the world by then,” Mandaviya said during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships here on Sunday.
“To create an ecosystem in sports, to make the country progress in sports, we created a scheme, the Target Podium Olympic Scheme and through this scheme the elite athletes of the country are getting best exposure and support so that they play their sport well with full dedication.” The minister said the need of the hour is to create a sporting ecosystem in the country and the government is dedicated to creating that.
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“To progress the sports ecosystem, Prime Minister Modi has developed a sports culture in the country in sequence. The third reform that happened was Sports Policy. Sports Policy will develop the road of sports in the country, Sports Policy will empower sports science, will make sports accessible, will build infrastructure for sports. Sports Policy will take sports forward in the country and bring in good governance,” he said.
“In the last Parliament session we introduced the Sports Governance Bill, which is an athlete-centric bill. The Bill gives importance to women’s representation in National Sports Federations.” He also wished all the participating athletes in the tournament.
“It is a great proud moment for us that our country, especially Ahmedabad is hosting the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships. This is just not a championship, this is an indication of the emerging power of our athletes. This is not just about lifting weight, this is about empowering and strengthening the country,” Mandaviya said.
The event was also graced by Mohammed Hasan Jalood, president of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation chief and Indian Weightlifting Federation president Sahdev Yadav, among others.
IWF chief Jalood lauded the preparations for the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships and called the event “a significant occasion” for the country.
He also commended the “outstanding” organisation and “excellent” infrastructure.
Published on Aug 24, 2025
