Abhinav Bindra Raises Key Questions Over India's New Talent Hunt Scheme

Indian shooting great Abhinav Bindra says he is eager to see how the country's ambitious Talent Identification Scheme for children under 15 unfolds, while hoping the system will have the "patience and wisdom" to nurture young athletes beyond immediate results. As part of the Khelo India Scheme for 2026-27 to 2030-31, the Sports Ministry has formulated a four-stage Talent Identification and Development Module aimed at creating a pool of young athletes who can be groomed into medal contenders for the 2036 Olympic Games, which India hopes to host in Ahmedabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the initiative during his Independence Day address earlier this year.

Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist following his triumph at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, welcomed the initiative but said some fundamental questions must be addressed.

"Because behind every test, every assessment and every number is a young child with a dream," the former rifle shooter wrote on X.

"A child who is not the best at 14 may still have everything it takes to become extraordinary at 24. As India begins this important journey, I hope we build a system that not only recognises talent, but has the patience to nurture it, the wisdom to look beyond immediate results, and the compassion to ensure that a child's dream is never defined by a single day of testing," he added.

The four-stage module comprises the Foundation, Grassroots, Intermediate and Elite levels, with the final stage already supported through the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

The Foundation level focuses on introducing children to sport through basic skills development, physical fitness and school partnerships in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

The Grassroots stage aims to channel talent identified through schools and competitions into structured coaching programmes at Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas, Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Centres.

At the Intermediate stage, athletes are categorised as Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIA) or Khelo India Athletes (KIA) based on age-specific benchmarks and performance protocols.

Training at this level is conducted through facilities such as Sports Authority of India (SAI) Training Centres, SAI National Centres of Excellence, Khelo India Accredited Academies, Khelo India Centres of Excellence, universities, Youth Sports Companies in collaboration with the Armed Forces and other recognised academies.

Bindra stressed that talent identification should also recognise late bloomers and take into account the socio-economic realities faced by many children.

"Are we measuring only what a child can do today, or also their ability to learn, adapt and improve? How do we account for differences in nutrition, family circumstances and access to coaching?" he asked.

"A child who has never received structured training may not perform as well as one who has had years of support. But does that necessarily tell us who has greater potential?"

He also highlighted the importance of ensuring that early selection advantages do not unfairly influence long-term outcomes.

"There is also something important to consider about opportunity. If a child develops early, performs well and is selected, that child naturally receives better coaching and greater exposure," he said.

Bindra further emphasised that the system should ensure one assessment does not permanently shut the door on future opportunities.

"How do we keep children engaged, motivated and believing in themselves when their development takes a little longer? And how do we recognise the different needs of girls and boys, athletes with disabilities, and children pursuing different sports?" he asked.

"Perhaps we should also follow these young athletes over the years, learning which early qualities really translate into senior excellence, why some progress while others leave sport, and how we can keep improving the decisions we make."

Bindra said addressing these questions sincerely would help build a talent-identification system with a deeper understanding of the children it is intended to serve.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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