India placing sport at centre of nation-building: Mandaviya

Ahmedabad, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said India is placing sport at the centre of nation-building by investing in future-ready sports infrastructure as he inaugurated the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games here.

Designed as a non-competitive platform, the one-day event focusses on demonstration, and the exchange of traditional sporting practices. India's choice of disciplines here are Mallakhamb, Yogasana, and Kalaripayattu.

"Guided by a comprehensive 360-degree approach, including grassroots participation, talent identification, coaching, sports science, infrastructure development, athlete welfare and international exposure, India is building a sustainable sporting ecosystem for the future," Mandaviya said as he highlighted the budgetary allocation of USD 3.76 billion for the government's flagship Khelo India Initiative that will involve country-wide infrastructure upgrade besides training young athletes.

"Our ambition is not only to build world-class sporting infrastructure for today, but also to create a lasting sporting legacy for generations to come," he asserted.

Apart from India, 10 BRICS nations are participating in the Games, including China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.

"We are at a moment when the global sports landscape is evolving rapidly. Sport today is not only a platform for competition. It is a powerful instrument for youth development, social inclusion, cultural understanding and international cooperation," he said.

"India's indigenous sports offer the global community a unique blueprint for the future of athletic abilities, blending ancient heritage with modern high performance. This tradition of excellence is showcased through Mallakhamb, a display of aerial gymnastics on a wooden pole that shows absolute physical control while requiring minimal infrastructure.

"This deep mastery of human biomechanics is equally on display in Kalaripayattu, one of the world's oldest martial arts," he added.

The Minister said the progression of a traditional sport becoming mainstream is best demonstrated by Kabaddi, the contact team sport that has "transitioned from rural mud courts to commercial broadcasting without losing its cultural essence."

Kabaddi is also a medal sport in the Asian Games.

The Minister also said that India's traditional values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam , physical discipline, and holistic well-being align perfectly with the Olympic values of Excellence, Respect, and Friendship.

India is bidding to host the 2036 Olympic Games in Ahmedabad, a city that will also host the 2029 World Police and Fire Games and the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

The Minister suggested that the BRICS nations should create a Repository of Traditional and Indigenous Sports, documenting their history, rules, equipment and field-of-play requirements.

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