The Sports industry has an unimaginable potential to generate revenues and employment and engaging Indian youth. Olympics is the biggest event in sports. The Olympic movement will not be complete until India host the Olympics. We are looking to partner with stakeholders not only within the country but across globe for promoting Sports. Industry and industry associations will play a very important role in fulfilling this dream and aspirations for India said Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (I/C) and Minority Affairs, GOI. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the 6th edition of the CII Scorecard held through digital platform.
Mr Rijiju, speaking on the agenda for the development of sports, emphasised that Sports and Fitness culture is important to make India a vibrant nation. Mr Rijiju apprised that Khelo India launched by the government aims at spreading sports culture throughout the length and breadth of the country. Khelo India Youth Games have become the biggest and prestigious event for youth in the country and we have also started Khelo India university games and Khelo India winter games. Along with this Khelo India State Centre of excellence are also being set up in each State, he informed. We have many schemes in place to promote grassroot sports, he added. We are also coming forward with the plans to develop and give due recognition to indigenous sports like kabaddi, yoga and take it to the global platform.
FIT India movement has also given new direction to the fitness culture in the country. All the important ministries have taken it into their stride and more than 220 thousand schools have registered under FIT India programme. Mr Rijiju urged the corporate sector to also take forward the FIT India movement and effectively implement it in their companies.
The sports activities have resumed successfully post COVID and we would like more international level events to be hosted in India, said Mr Rijiju. And in this regard, he has asked finance ministry to allow major sports events of international level under CSR. He also reinstated the importance of Public Private Partnership for creating world class infrastructure and sports science where we are lacking at present.
In conversation with Mr Nigel Huddleston MP, Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage, United Kingdom, Mr Rijiju said that the UK management of sports and their success in maintaining a leading position at the global medal tally, is very impressive and India can learn from the UK. Mr Nigel Huddleston responded that in the sports domain, India and UK can learn from each other in number of areas like promoting new sports, sports governance, sports rights, training, international competitions, hosting some of mega sports events and many more. Both the ministers agreed upon the need for greater involvement of private sector for the promoting of sports.
Mr Anupam Goswami, Chairman, CII National Committee on Sports & CEO, Mashal Sports & League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League welcoming the guests at the session informed that the CII Scorecard 2021 conference is a platform to bring together the best and most influential minds in Indian sports on a common platform. The 6th edition of Scorecard with the theme ‘A Brave New World for Sport’ comes against the backdrop of the Covid -19 pandemic which has so severely challenged all walks of our national life sets the tone of reopening of sports around the world.
To inaugurate today’s event, a CII- Grant Thornton Bharat report “Sports Cities of India 2021 future destinations for global sporting events” was launched by the Hon’ble Sports Minister.
Presenting the report findings Mr Kunal Sood, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat said that the inspiration of report is that in recent times, there have been talks of India being a potential host to the some of the biggest showcase events in world of sport, including bidding for the prestigious Olympic Games. While it is evident that the road to hosting such an event would be long and full of hurdles, it is important to assess where the strengths and areas of improvement for our cities currently lie. CII and GT have worked closely to kick-start an initiative towards assessing our entire country’s capabilities to host sports events. The report is a preview assessment of the vision of bringing the biggest global sporting events to the country. It gives a glimpse of the past, present and future of hosting such events in India, said Mr Sood.
Mr Jalaj Dani, President, SPORTSCOM Industry Confederation and Co-Promoter Asian Paints presenting the vote of thanks said that the call of Public Private Partnership given by the Hon’ble Sports Minister is welcomed by the industry and Industry stakeholders, members of the sports fraternity and policy makers, we will definitely be able to implement the various actions required towards transforming the Indian sports ecosystem.
5th March 2021
New Delhi