Mumbai, August 18, 2026: The Sports Authority of India (SAI), Regional Centre Mumbai, held a press interaction on the revamped Khelo India Scheme (2026–31), highlighting its focus on strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem and creating a structured pathway from grassroots talent to the international stage.

The scheme has an outlay of ₹36,441 crore for 2026–31, around eight times the previous allocation, and aims to expand athlete support nearly tenfold. It focuses on scientific talent identification, sports infrastructure, coaching, competitions, sports science and technology.

SAI Regional Director Pandurang Chate (IRS) said Maharashtra has a strong sporting culture and that the objective is to connect young athletes with opportunities at every stage, from schools and grassroots centres to high-performance training.

The revamped framework includes Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas, Feeder Schools and Centres, along with support for Khelo India Athletes and Emerging Khelo India Athletes. Assistance will cover coaching, diet, accommodation, equipment, travel, competitions, medical care and education.

The scheme also proposes a 60:40 Centre-State cost-sharing model for sports infrastructure development and introduces Sports Technology, including AI-based talent scouting, wearable technology and performance analytics.

Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat, para-badminton world champion Sukant Kadam, and Asian Games tennis gold medallist Rutuja Bhosale stressed the importance of quality coaching, infrastructure, competition exposure and sports science.

The initiative aims to strengthen Maharashtra’s sporting pathway from grassroots identification to national and international excellence.