G Sathiyan calls for stronger support to make India sporting powerhouse

Olympian and Arjuna Award-winning table tennis player G Sathiyan has called for sustained collaboration among the government, corporate sector and sports industry to transform India into a global sporting powerhouse. Delivering the keynote address at SPORTSCOM's Annual Session and Giving Wings to Dreams Conclave in Delhi on Tuesday, he said athletes perform only when there is immense support from corporates and the government. He stressed the need for grassroots visibility so that parents see Olympians close to home and believe their children can reach the next level.

The conclave brought together policymakers, investors and industry leaders. Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary, Sports, outlined upcoming policy developments including the National Sports Policy, National Sports Governance Act, National Sports Board and National Sports Tribunal, as well as a proposed Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme. Minister of State Jayant Chaudhary called for viewing sport beyond medals as a driver of employment and economic growth. Joint Secretary Kunal said India is pursuing a whole-of-government approach towards its 2036 Olympic host bid and promoting indigenous disciplines like Kho-Kho and Yogasana.

An investor panel noted that while capital availability is rising, startups need clear business models and scalability to secure funding. A separate panel on manufacturing, moderated by The Convergence Foundation, heard Sanjeet Singh of NITI Aayog outline a target of $8 billion in sports goods exports by 2036. Industry leaders discussed structural constraints such as raw material, logistics and power costs, and called for dedicated manufacturing clusters and international certification infrastructure.