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India to Host 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and MoS Raksha Khadse have expressed delight at India securing the hosting rights for the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar. They credited the nation's progress in sports to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting India's shift from participant to a major global sports hub. The Athletics Federation of India president, Bahadur Singh Sagoo, confirmed the award following a World Athletics Council meeting in Poland. The event will be held at the Kalinga Indoor Stadium, which recently received a positive review from World Athletics officials.

Key Points: India Wins Bid to Host 2028 World Athletics Indoor C'ship

  • Historic win for Indian sports hosting
  • Event at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Indoor Stadium
  • Ministers credit national leadership
  • Part of India's global sports ascent
  • Follows World Half Marathon in 2004
2 min read

Sports Minister Mandaviya, MoS Raksha Khadse, express delight at India getting to host 2028 World Athletics Indoor C'ship

Sports Ministers celebrate as Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is awarded the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships, marking a major milestone for Indian sports.

"India is now not only a participant but is emerging as a major hub on the global sports map. - Raksha Khadse"

New Delhi, March 19

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sport, Smt Raksha Khadse, have expressed their delight at the news that India will be hosting the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championship at Bhubneswar.

The Sports Minister expressed his delight in a social media post starting with the sentence, "The World is coming to India!"

"Delighted to learn that Bhubaneswar, Odisha, will host the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships.

"Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji, India is not only improving its medal tally on the global stage but also emerging as a premier destination for hosting major international sporting events," wrote Dr Mandaviya in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The MoS wrote in a post on X, "India is now not only a participant but is emerging as a major hub on the global sports map.

"Bhubaneswar in Odisha, being awarded the hosting rights for the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships, is a historic milestone in this direction. Under the leadership of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, India has made remarkable progress in every dimension of sports-be it the performance of our athletes or hosting major international events.

"This achievement demonstrates that India is not only winning medals, but also building the capacity to shape the future of global sports," she said, reacting to the news being put out by the senior minister.

Earlier in the day, Bahadur Singh Sagoo, president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), announced that the World Athletics Council has awarded India the hosting rights for the 2028 Indoor Championships.

"India will host the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar. The global competition will be held at Kalinga's Indoor Stadium," the AFI president said.

India was awarded the 2028 edition of the World Athletics Indoor Championships on Thursday during the World Athletics Council meeting in Torun, Poland, which is also hosting the 2026 edition from March 20 to 22. Additionally, Wayback India previously hosted the World Half Marathon in New Delhi in 2004.

In January, members of the World Athletics Council visited Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Indoor Stadium in Odisha and were pleased with the facilities.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While hosting is a big achievement, I hope this also translates into better support and training facilities for our own athletes at the grassroots level. Winning bids is one thing, winning medals consistently is another. Let's invest in our talent pipeline too.
P
Priya S
Odisha is truly the sports capital of India now! From hockey to athletics, the state government has done remarkable work. Can't wait to see Bhubaneswar shine on the world stage in 2028. Jai Hind!
R
Rohit P
Good step, but the article mentions the 2004 Half Marathon in Delhi. That's 20 years ago! We need to host these events more frequently, not once in two decades. Hope this is the start of a new trend.
K
Kavya N
As a sports enthusiast, this is thrilling! Indoor athletics is exciting to watch. Hope they make tickets affordable so common people like us can go and experience the world-class competition live. It will inspire so many young kids.
M
Michael C
Impressive. The World Athletics Council wouldn't award this if the facilities at Kalinga Stadium weren't up to the mark. This is a sign of India's growing soft power and organizational capability. Well done to all involved.

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