UP aims to boost sports ecosystem as India eyes Olympic bid: IAS para-badminton player Suhas Yathiraj

By Shaurya Dutt

New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): IAS para-badminton player Suhas L Yathiraj said Uttar Pradesh, being the country's largest state in terms of population, is committed to strengthening India's Olympic aspirations by building international-standard infrastructure, nurturing grassroots talent, offering incentives to athletes, and promoting a culture of fitness and healthy living.

India has officially bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), led by President PT Usha, submitted a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October 2024.

Speaking to ANI, Suhas L. Yathiraj said, "India is looking to host the Olympics in the coming decade. So Uttar Pradesh, being the largest state in the country, is looking to play its part by not only providing the international quality infrastructure for the athletes to train, but also identifying the grassroots talent and giving the best possible incentives to them. And also develop a culture of fitness and a healthy lifestyle. It's a holistic approach that we are looking to drive through in the state of UP..."

India's ambition to host the 2036 Summer Olympics reflects a strong desire to contribute to the global sporting community and showcase the nation's capability to host such a grand event. The Indian sports fraternity and the government remain optimistic and committed to turning this vision into reality, to present India as a gracious host for the Olympic Games.

Former Table Tennis player, Achanta Sharath Kamal, also shared his thoughts on the same, where he said that if India hosts the 2036 Olympics, then the country will move towards becoming a "strong nation".

"If the IOC agrees to the bid for India to host the 2036 Olympics, then it will be a lasting legacy which will be left behind because as they will work on this, at least the government's vision is now whether we get the 2036 or not, but we will work towards making India a strong sporting nation. I would be really excited to have the Olympic Games in India, where it will become a strong sporting movement for the country, and hopefully, we will have more medals at the Olympics," Sharath Kamal said.

India ended its campaign at the Paris Olympics with six medals last year, including five bronze and a silver.

Recently, IOA has approved the submission of a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games during its Special General Meeting (SGM) held earlier this month. PT Usha expressed her delight at the approval for India's bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games during its SGM.

Ahmedabad is likely to be the city to host the Commonwealth Games 2030. Proposals are expected to be submitted by 31 August, and Commonwealth Sport is expected to decide on the host city in November. (ANI)

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