Welcoming the sports ministry’s decision to launch the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) programme, reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has said that the initiative could “provide the right balance between sports and studies.” KIRTI will be kick-started by Union sports minister Anurag Singh Thakur in Chandigarh on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (More Sports News)
Chopra, who is currently in Turkey and gearing up for the 2024 season that includes the Paris Olympics, said the Khelo India mission is full of possibilities.
“There cannot be a better opportunity than to ride all the Khelo India initiatives undertaken by the central government. Be it the Youth Games or the University Games, I understand these events are extremely well conducted and if our athletes are focused and can capitalize on the platforms provided, Indian sports can only go forward,” Chopra told SAI Media.
A country-wide programme under the Khelo India mission, KIRTI will identify school-going talent in the age-group between nine to 18 years. The programme will leverage IT tools and provide a common platform to showcase talent.
“I am an example. I started at 13-14 (years) and then climbed the ladder. That’s the time to convince children that one has to balance studies with sports activities. It’s a dual responsibility and it’s good to see the government coming forward to take care of the sports side of things. This is the change we need in India to grow the awareness on sports,” said Chopra.
The central objective of KIRTI is to form a pyramidal structure, starting from the grassroots and culminating in the development to elite athletes for achieving excellence at the international level. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme, which has two divisions – core and developmental – is at the top of the pyramid.
KIRTI aims to conduct 20 lakh assessments across India throughout the year to identify talent through notified talent assessment centres. Taking the help of scientific tools, KIRTI will involve physical education teachers and experts in scouting talent. In the first phase, 10 Khelo India disciplines -- archery, athletics, boxing, football, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling have been identified.
