Key Points

Mandaviya invoked various reforms, including the Target Podium Olympic Scheme (TOPS), Khelo India and initiatives like the Fit India movement, to cite the progress the nation has made under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"PM Modi has given slogans of Khelo India, Fit India and introduced the TOPS scheme, which helps athletes to get exposure and best facilities, which allows them to compete at their best level," Mandaviya said during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025 in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

"PM Modi has developed a sports culture in the country to ensure the progress of the sports ecosystem. The third reform that happened was the Sports policy. Sports policy empowers sports science, makes sports accessible, and builds sports infrastructure. Sports policy also gives prominence to athletes. It will take sports forward in the country and introduce good governance," he added.

Earlier this month, the Rajya Sabha passed the National Sports Governance Bill, which paves the way for a new standard of transparency, accountability, and ethical management in sports. Mandaviya believes the National Sports Governance Bill will change the landscape of sports by giving prominence to athletes and women's representation in the field.

"In the last Parliament session, we introduced the Sports Governance Bill, which is an athlete-centric bill. The Bill gives importance to athletes and women's representation in National Sports Federations," he said.

"PM Modi has set a goal to take the country among the top 10 in the world in the next 10 years. We have bid for the 2036 Olympics. In 2047, when the nation will celebrate 100 years of our independence, by then we want to make our nation a developed country, and along with that, PM Modi has set a goal to be among the top 5 sporting nations of the world," he added.

During his speech, Mandaviya also expressed his delight about the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025 being hosted in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi believes hosting the tournament is a great moment for the state, and hopefully, more events will be held in the future.

"It is a matter of fortune for Ahmedabad that the International Weightlifting Federation said that this is the best host for such a tournament. More and more tournaments will be organised in Ahmedabad this way," Sanghvi said while speaking to reporters.

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Mohammed Hasan Jalood emphasised the importance of the tournament in the context of the Commonwealth Games and hopes that the majority of medals will fall in India's tally. He even revealed that in future they will discuss with the Indian sports minister about hosting a major tournament.

"This is an important competition because the winner here will qualify directly for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Next year, maybe the majority of the gold medals in those games will go to India. I have never seen such an opening ceremony, and I wish India would be given the opportunity to organise one of the huge events like the Grand Prix or the World Championships. In LA 2028 we will discuss it with the Union Sports Minister because India organises any competition at a high standard," Jalood said while speaking to reporters.

- ANI