Khelo Bharat Niti 2050

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.