India has long been seen as a powerhouse in sports, but that rarely translates to overwhelming success in big events like the Olympic Games. The nation had the best-ever performance at the Olympic Games two years ago in 2021, where the athletes made the country proud by winning a total of seven medals, one of which included an elusive gold in track and field athletics, won by star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. Successful performances in sports events are on the rise and a lot of it can be attributed to the ‘Khelo India’ initiative by the Government of India. Khelo India Youth Games 2023 Schedule: Get Time Table, Fixtures and Full List of Sports Events to be Held at KIYG 5th Edition

As we are on the cusp of the Khelo India Youth Games 2023, which gets underway in Madhya Pradesh on January 30, let us take a look at the event's history and how the government, through it, has been reviving the culture of sports in the country.

History

Launched in 2018, the ‘Khelo India’ programme aimed to develop sports across the country.  This was a revamped programme wherein the  ‘Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan’, the ‘Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme’ and the ‘National Sports Talent Search System Programme’ were consolidated with the approval of the Union Cabinet. The initiative targets the development of all sports, right from the grassroot level and building a solid structure or framework, which would provide a platform for young athletes from all over the country to showcase their talent and have an opportunity of representing the nation in major international events. On Which Channel Khelo India Youth Games 2023 Will be Telecast Live? How To Watch Khelo India Live Streaming Online? Check Viewing Options of KIYG 5th Edition.

The Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), earlier known as the Khelo India School Games, started in 2018 with a total of 18 sports disciplines, which increased to 20 in the 2020 edition. The KIYG are competitions held for both boys and girls in the U-17 and U-21 categories. This time more than 6000 athletes would be in action in 27 sports.

So far, the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) have had four editions in which Maharashtra and Haryana have dominated, winning the tournaments twice each. Both these states would once again be solid contenders to win but this time around, the competition is expected to be tougher.

Achievements:

Under the Khelo India scheme, a total of 133 new sports infrastructure projects have been approved in 27 states/UTs, which involves a sanctioned cost of a whopping Rs 826 crore. Under the scheme's Talent Search & Development vertical, a total of 2,437 sporting talents in 20 separate disciplines have been selected. Several academies have been given accreditation to train athletes under this scheme. Also, a Khelo India mobile application was launched, enabling the common man to learn more about participation and information about these games.  Khelo India Youth Games 2023: Sports Ministry Launches App for Participating Athletes.

India would be bracing for an even better show at the 2026 Olympics in Paris. By that time, the nation’s contingent for the competition might as well have some athletes who have risen to prominence courtesy of their performance at the sporting events under Khelo India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 30, 2023 04:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).