Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Haryana’s Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Gaurav Gautam, effectively represented the state at the three-day National Sports Chintan Shivir held in Srinagar on Sunday. Presided over by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State Raksha Khadse, the summit brought together sports ministers and senior officials from across India to strategize the future of Indian athletics.
During a session focused on “Clean and Safe Sports,” Gautam highlighted Haryana’s outsized contribution to Indian sports, noting that despite housing only 2.5% of the country’s population, the state accounts for over 50% of its national and international medals. He attributed this success to the state’s visionary policies and the discipline of its athletes. Invoking the popular slogan “Deshaan Mein Desh Haryana, Jit Dudh Dahi Ka Khana,” he emphasized that Haryana’s sports culture is rooted in a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. He urged all states to educate children as young as 10–12 about the dangers of doping and called for a crackdown on syndicates providing banned substances to athletes.
Mission Olympic-2036: Vijaybhiv
Gautam detailed Haryana’s ambitious “Mission Olympic-2036: Vijaybhiv,” the nation’s first ten-year sports blueprint designed to prepare over 1,000 talented athletes for the Olympic stage. He expressed confidence that Haryana alone would contribute at least 36 medals to India’s tally in 2036 and challenged all states to collectively aim for a national target of 70 medals by the 2036 Olympics, a significant leap from the 7 medals won in Tokyo.
The summit also featured a short film showcasing Haryana’s sports nurseries, athlete insurance, cash award policies, and job quotas. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya praised Haryana’s framework, suggesting other states align their policies with Haryana’s model in coordination with the central government. Discussions also touched upon the New Sports Policy-2025 and the Sports Governance Act to create a unified strategy for athlete development nationwide.
