THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 26, 2026

In a nationwide effort to place young people at the centre of India’s sporting and nation-building journey, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will organise ‘Khelo India Samvaad – Khel Ki Baat PM Ke Saath’ on August 27, ahead of National Sports Day. In Odisha, the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) will serve as a prominent host institution for the programme, officials said at a press conference here.

Ajit Khuswa, Regional Director, National Service Scheme (NSS), Bhubaneswar; Dr Prabhat Kumar Rout, Programme Coordinator, KIIT NSS Bureau; and Dr Smruti Ranjan Das, KIIT NSS Liaison Officer and Nodal Officer for the programme, briefed the media on the initiative.

Organised by Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) under the Department of Youth Affairs, the initiative will bring together young people, sportspersons, public representatives and other stakeholders from across the sports ecosystem on a common platform. The programme will focus on youth participation, sports development, fitness and nation-building, while encouraging young Indians to contribute to the country’s sporting ambitions and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

The nationwide programme will be held simultaneously at selected educational institutions across districts. According to the Ministry, around eight lakh young people at nearly 1,600 locations across the country are expected to participate. The participants will include college students, NSS volunteers, MY Bharat volunteers, youth club members and sports enthusiasts.

A major highlight of the programme will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual address to participating youth. The address will be streamed simultaneously at participating venues through a central live feed, providing young people across the country with a common platform to hear the Prime Minister’s vision for sports, fitness and youth-led nation-building.

The virtual interaction will be followed by local-level discussions and a ‘Yuva Samvaad’, enabling participants to engage directly with sportspersons, public representatives and other stakeholders. Discussions will focus on strengthening India’s sports ecosystem, improving sports infrastructure, nurturing sporting talent, expanding youth participation and preparing athletes for future international competitions, including the 2036 Olympics.

The programme will also give young people an opportunity to voice their ideas, experiences, suggestions and aspirations for the future of Indian sports. Participants will be able to submit their suggestions digitally through the MY Bharat Suggestions Box, creating a channel for youth perspectives to feed into the broader sporting ecosystem.

The initiative comes ahead of National Sports Day on August 29, which is observed every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of legendary Indian hockey player Major Dhyan Chand. The celebrations seek to highlight the vital role of sports in fostering discipline, leadership, resilience, teamwork and physical fitness among young people.

Through Khelo India Samvaad, the government aims to deepen youth participation in India’s sporting ecosystem and foster a culture in which young Indians are not merely spectators but active stakeholders in the country’s sporting ambitions and developmental journey.