India is now the country leading in world population. Imagine the untapped potential we have when it comes to sporting excellence! However, we can see a few patterns that are a bit disappointing when it comes to sports in India. Only 2% of our population actively participates in sports. Additionally, we have one of the lowest population is to medals ratios in the world. Although this is a bit disheartening, we have set our eyes on new horizons and the future looks bright! Let us take a look at the future of sports in India.
First, let us understand how the sporting scenario looks in India right now. A few decades back, the focus and awareness of sports was a lot more compared to now. Sports and their importance to physical and mental well-being were well understood. However, the sporting scene in India took quite a backseat in the last few decades. Because of many factors like focus on academics, lack of opportunities, cultural reasons and many more, active participation in sports was deprioritized. Nevertheless, we see a wind of change in the last couple of decades! Let us take a look at what the future holds.
We can clearly see a bright future for the Indian sporting scenario. Along with a general rise in the popularity of sports other than cricket, we can also see flashes of brilliance in them. An added boost to other sports can also be seen as an initiative of the establishment. Along with pumping in money into other sports, we also see a great rise in infrastructural facilities for athletes and sportspersons. An interesting statistic to see is that the Indian sports goods market is estimated to grow to $ 6.6 Bn by 2027. That means that ancillary industries too are seeing a major thrust in the recent past. This also means an increase in employment opportunities.
One of the most important reasons for this meteoric rise is the ‘Khelo India’ scheme initiated by the government. It is an efficient combination of 3 already existing schemes to come under one umbrella for smooth functioning. So, what is the ‘Khelo India’ scheme? It is an annual PAN India scholarship scheme covering 1000 deserving athletes across all sports disciplines. The selected athletes will be entitled to a 5 lakh rupees scholarship for 8 consecutive years. This scheme is comprehensive and focuses on academics and general fitness along with its primary motive for holistic improvement in the sporting ecosystem of India. This scheme has made a cultural impact on sports and spurred a complete mind shift in every Indian's mind.
Along with this prolific scheme which identifies and nurtures talent from a young age, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has raised millions of dollars in the last 5 years for almost 300 infra-sports projects. (SAI) also has initiated 2 pipelines to support this massive leap in sports infrastructure. The National Investment Pipeline (NIP) and the National Monetization Pipeline.
Under the (NIP), more than 90 projects for stadiums and sports complexes are ongoing. Sporting projects worth approximately $1.49 Bn have been approved under the (NIP) in which the Private sector will have a 21% share. Vishakhapatnam Sports City a project worth US$ 129 Mn will also be completed by 1st Aug 2024 under this pipeline. Under the National Monetization Pipeline, two National Stadia and two (SAI) regional centres worth approximately $1431.25 Mn for monetization are proposed till 2025.
These initiatives by the government have indeed worked miracles for us and the results are obvious for everybody to see. India won 61 medals at the Commonwealth Games 2022, a resounding success by our previous standards. The participation and viewership of other sports have also gone up since the amazing success achieved by our athletes and sportspersons like Neeraj Chopra, P.V. Sindhu, Mary Kom and many more! With resounding successes in so many sports, and the entire country backing our future stars, the future holds great achievements for India. This wind of change is here to stay and at Union Sport, we will play our part to expedite this process. We are the bridge between amazing athletes and sponsors to ensure that our talented gems achieve their dreams. We are here to make a positive impact on the sporting world and our mission is to create a sporting community where every athlete can grow equitably and discover amazing opportunities! Check out our website to join the community and make a difference!