NEW DELHI, Oct 14: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed on Saturday that India would bid to host the 2036 Olympics. Mr Modi made the announcement during the inauguration of the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai.
“India is very excited to organise an Olympics,” he said. “India will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to organise the 2036 Olympics. It’s a dream of 140 crore Indians. With the support of IOC, we would want to fulfil this dream. Sports is not just for winning medals but it is also the best way to win hearts. It not only gives rise to champions but also promotes peace.”
PM Modi added that India are also willing to host the Youth Olympics in 2029. “We are willing to host the 2029 Youth Olympics, I am sure India will get constant support from IOC,” he said in the presence of IOC president Thomas Bach. India is hosting the IOC session for the second time after a gap of about 40 years. The IOC’s 86th session was held in New Delhi in 1983.
IOC president Thomas Bach, who began his address earlier in the evening while greeting the gathering by saying ‘namaste,’ said, “India is an inspiring place. The entire Olympic community in India can be proud of the Asian Games performance.” The IOC president, in his address, highlighted the importance of inclusion of e-sports in the Olympics program, emphasising on the need to trust the mindset of the young people and empower them.
Notably during a press conference on Friday, Bach had said cricket could be added to the 2028 Olympics since it was getting more popular all over the world. “Cricket is getting more popular all over the world and presently Cricket World Cup is being held in India successfully. So we look forward to cricket players participating in the 2028 Olympics. Indian-origin people play a lot of cricket and recently we organised a cricket tournament in Dallas too. Los Angeles had an opportunity for the same and they included it in the events,” said Bach.
If its bid is successful, India will become only the fourth Asian country to host the Olympic Games. However, the PM did not mention which Indian city would bid to host the Games. He also informed the audience about India’s victory against Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Saturday. “I congratulate Team Bharat and every Indian on this historic victory,” he said.
Stating that sports have been an important aspect of Indian culture and lifestyle, Mr Modi said: “When you go to the villages of India, one can find that any festival remains incomplete without sports. Indians are not just sports lovers, but we also live it.” “There are no losers in sports, only the winners and learners. The language and spirit of sports are universal. Sports is not mere competition. Sports gives humanity an opportunity to expand,” the PM said.
He also listed recent measures for the development of sports in India, mentioning the Khelo India Games, Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India Winter Games, Member of Parliament sports competitions, and the upcoming Khelo India Para Games. “We are focusing on inclusivity and diversity in sports in India,” he said, adding that India was now performing brilliantly in international events.
Highlighting the sporting culture reflected through the history of India over thousands of years, Mr Modi said whether during the Indus Valley civilization, the Vedic period or the era after it, India’s sporting legacy has been very prosperous. Scriptures written thousands of years ago mentioned proficiency in 64 genres, including sports such as horse riding, swimming, archery, and wrestling, he said, noting that emphasis was laid on excelling in these endeavours. Mr Modi presented scientific evidence of this ancient sport legacy of India, mentioning the Dholavira UNESCO World Heritage site in Gujarat and the sports infrastructure found in the urban planning of this 5000-year-old city.
During the excavation, the Prime Minister said, two stadiums were found, one of them being the oldest and biggest stadium in the world at that time. Similarly, in Rakhigarhi, sports-related structures have been found. “This sporting legacy of India belongs to the entire world,” he said, adding that positive changes are a sign of the rapidly transforming landscape of sports in India. “Sports is not just for winning medals but is a medium to win hearts and it belongs to all for all. It not only prepares champions but also promotes peace, progress and wellness. Therefore, sports is another medium of uniting the world,” he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)