Union home minister Amit Shah was the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 38th National Games in Haldwani, and lauded Indian athletes' recent performance at international competitions
Reiterating the Indian government's will to bid for and potentially host the 2036 Olympic Games, Union home minister Amit Shah said at the closing ceremony of the 38th National Games that the country is "ready" to host the quadrennial sports extravaganza, 11 years down the line. (More Sports News)
"I can say it today that India has a very bright future in sports. We are ready to host the Olympics in 2036," Shah, the chief guest at the event in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, said in his address referring to India's bid to host the Olympics in 2036 that is still in early stages.
"We have made our bid to host the Olympic Games, and we are confident that when the Olympics are held in India in 2036, the athletes participating in this sports mega event will win medals, thereby bringing glory to the tri-colour and the national anthem," Shah added.
The Indian Olympic Association officially submitted its 'Letter of Intent' to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on October 1 last year, formalizing the country's bid. This follows months of informal discussions with the IOC and places India as a serious contender in the highly competitive race for the 2036 Summer Games.
IOC president Thomas Bach had earlier disclosed that the number of countries vying for hosting rights of Olympics 2036 is in "double-digits". Among them, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are likely to be India's main rivals.
Meanwhile, Shah said that the country's athletes have made the nation proud in international competitions, winning several times more medals in the Olympics and Paralympics than before, "which indicates a significant improvement in the country's sports infrastructure, sports atmosphere, and hunger to win".
Talking of National Games 2025 host state Uttarakhand, Shah stated: "Today, a hilly state like Uttarakhand has successfully organized such a large event, which indicates that every state in India is not only ready to play but also prepared to strengthen its sports infrastructure."
He added that by utilizing the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, many of our athletes are preparing for great success in the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.