Khelo Bharat Niti 2025
- Context (PIB | TH): The Union Cabinet approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, officially announced as “Khelo Bharat Niti 2025”, marking a bold and comprehensive overhaul of India’s sports governance framework.
Key Highlights of NSP 2025
- Excellence on the Global Stage: Establish structured talent pathways, modern infrastructure, and science-backed training through strengthening of National Sports Federations & competitive leagues.
- Sports for Economic Development: Drive economic growth through sports tourism, manufacturing, startups, PPPs, and CSR investments.
- Sports for Social Development: Promote social inclusion, revive traditional sports, and link sports to careers and community engagement.
- Sports as a People’s Movement: Foster a national fitness culture with campaigns, fitness indices, and open access to sports facilities.
- Integration with NEP 2020: Integrate sports into education through curricula, trained educators, and school-based talent development.
Strategic Framework for Implementation
- Governance: Establishment of regulatory & legal framework to ensure transparency & accountability.
- Private Sector Collaboration: Engaging corporate stakeholders through CSR and PPP mechanisms.
- Technology Adoption: Use of AI, data analytics, and emerging technologies in athlete performance tracking and program delivery.
- Monitoring: Creation of National Monitoring Framework with KPIs & time-bound milestones.
- State-Level Alignment: NSP 2025 serves as a model policy for States/UTs to draft their own policies.
- Whole-of-Government Approach: Integration of sports objectives into various Ministries’ and Departments’ schemes.
India’s Sports Policy Journey
Post-Independence Priorities (1947–1980s)
- National focus was on poverty, health, and education, with limited sports investment despite milestones like the 1951 Asian Games and establishment of All-India Council of Sports (AICS) in 1954.
- Budget constraints hindered global success, though hockey excelled & icons like Milkha Singh emerged.
1982 Asian Games
- The 1982 Asiad highlighted the need for structured sports governance. It led to creation of the Department of Sports under the HRD Ministry.
- Resulted in India’s first National Sports Policy (1984).
Post-1991 Liberalisation
- Economic reforms and media exposure sparked public interest in sports and cultural shift.
- The 1997 Draft National Sports Policy was proposed but never implemented, leaving a policy gap.
Post-2000
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports was established in 2000; the National Sports Policy 2001 emphasized mass participation and elite performance.
- Significant initiatives included:
- NSDC 2011: For regulating and professionalising National Sports Federations (NSFs) addressing governance, anti-doping, gender parity, and more.
- TOPS 2014: Target Olympic Podium Scheme to support elite athletes.
- Khelo India 2017: Nationwide youth talent identification and sports development program.
- Fit India Movement 2019: Fitness as a national priority.
- In 2024, government released Drafts of the National Sports Policy and National Sports Governance Bill.
- India’s 2036 Olympic bid revived strategic focus, prompting new policy and governance reforms.
