Sports Minister Anurag Thakur launches KIRTI, a nationwide talent hunt initiative

Indian sports minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday, March 12, unveiled KIRTI - Khelo India Rising Talent Identification. The groundbreaking initiative marks the first-of-its-kind talent hunt program on a nationwide scale, aimed at identifying and nurturing young athletes aged between 9-18, utilizing IT tools.

KIRTI aims to conduct 20 lakh assessments from every nook and corner of the country throughout the year. The discovered young talents will undergo training at different assessment centers across the country, to groom them into future international stars.

Thakur took to X to unveil the initiative. He wrote:

“I am exhilarated to launch ‘KIRTI’ - Khelo India Rising Talent Identification, an innovative and first-of-its-kind nationwide talent hunt platform aimed at identifying and scouting athletes aged between 9 and 18 years old, utilizing IT tools.”

“As envisioned by our Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, through KIRTI, our government is steadfast in its commitment to providing support to a growing, diverse pool of budding athletes at the grassroots,” he added.

“KIRTI marks a glorious chapter in the grassroots-level development of sports in India. With an ambition to conduct 20 lakh assessments across the country throughout the year, a scale never seen before in India. Additionally, scouting and training of identified 'Young Talent' will take place through notified Talent Assessment Centres, honing them into stars of the future,” he wrote.

"In the first phase, 10 Khelo India disciplines have been identified, but for years to come, this list will keep expanding, incorporating and mainstreaming more sports for inclusive and comprehensive development, making India truly a sporting superpower," Thakur further wrote on X.

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A total of 10 sports were identified for the initiative

A total of 10 sports have been identified as the initial set of disciplines for the initiative. Archery, athletics, boxing, football, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling are the selected sports.

India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has expressed his optimism regarding the launch of this initiative. He emphasized the importance of having a talent hunt program like KIRTI for the youngsters.

"It could possibly provide the right balance between sports and studies. If our athletes are focused and can capitalize on the platforms provided, Indian sports can only go forward," Neeraj Chopra was quoted as saying by The Bridge.

KIRTI will also engage physical education teachers and sports experts to identify emerging talents from all corners of the country. This initiative will integrate seamlessly with the broader Khelo India scheme, a flagship initiative of the Indian government designed to instill a sports culture within Indian society and propel excellence on the global stage.

Thakur later met the press and stated that KIRTI will help the nation in improving the medal tally in the national and international events. Moreover, he added that the program will be implemented in all districts of the country in a few months.

"To ensure that our medal tally gets even better in future, talent identification was essential. So, Khelo India Rising Talent Identification program - KIRTI - has been launched today...Through KIRTI, talent identification will be done, grooming will be done...This will be implemented in every district of the country in the next few months,” Anurag Thakur told the press.