Now Reading: India’s sporting rise gets private and state backing
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India’s sporting rise gets private and state backing
Olympic Gold Quest backed nine of India’s 39 medallists at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, according to Livemint. The private non-profit’s spending rose from Rs 19 crore in 2018-19 to Rs 77 crore in 2024-25, above the government’s Rs 34.8 crore Target Olympic Podium Scheme allocation. OGQ supports athletes with coaching, equipment, travel and sports science.
Livemint reports that OGQ now supports 178 senior athletes, 110 junior scholars and 111 para-athletes, with donations reaching Rs 92.1 crore in 2024-25. Gulf News takes a broader view of India’s sporting ambitions, citing coach Karmakar’s praise for the government’s Khelo India programme and its role in developing athletes such as Manu Bhaker. It also notes the gap between India’s 100-plus medals at the 2023 Asian Games and six at Paris 2024. Former athlete PT Usha expects a stronger medal haul at Los Angeles 2028.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The two accounts focus on different parts of India’s sports system. Livemint stresses OGQ’s funding, specialist support and larger spending per athlete, while giving less attention to the state’s wider pipeline. Gulf News foregrounds Khelo India and official ambition, with less detail on private philanthropy and institutional finances. Neither account alone captures the full picture: elite results depend on both targeted backing and broad athlete development, while recent medal totals show uneven progress across competitions. The clearest measure will be India’s performance at Los Angeles 2028, especially after the six-medal return from Paris 2024.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 neutral
Sources (2): livemint.com (neutral report), gulfnews.com (pro government)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
