"India have all the requirements to qualify to host the 2036 Olympics" - Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

Union sports minister Anurag Thakur reiterated that India will bid to host the 2036 Olympics, stating that the nation has the requirements for the eligibility of a host.

The Olympics is a multi-sports tournament held every four years and is considered to be the most prestigious sporting stage in the globe. India has never hosted the quadrennial event since its inception in 1896.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 6th Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai, Anurag Thakur said:

"India is working towards hosting the 2036 Olympics, we are going to bid for that. I'm sure with the kind of young population and the number of athletes we have, we have become the fifth largest economy in the world and soon going to be the third largest economy in the world. We have all the requirements to qualify to host the 2036 Olympics. Let us wait for the right time."

Thakur's statement comes a couple of months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed that India will enter the race to host the Olympic Games in 2036.

Has India hosted any major multi-sport event before?

India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, which was officially called the XIX Commonwealth Games. A total of 6,572 athletes participated from 71 countries across 21 sports disciplines (including four para-sports) between October 3 to 14 that year with both opening and closing ceremonies staged.

India's national capital Delhi won the hosting rights for the 2010 CWG Games after defeating the Canadian city of Hamilton by 46 votes to 22 at the CGF General Assembly held in Montego Bay in November 2003.

Archery, aquatics, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, powerlifting, rugby sevens, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling events took place in that edition.

The athletes from home ensured to grab the opportunity with both hands, winning a record-breaking 101 medals, including 38 gold, which happens to be the best-ever tally for the country in the event.