Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], August 11 (ANI): To take Gujarat’s sports sector to new heights and encourage talented athletes who bring glory to the state and the country, the Government of Gujarat, under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, has introduced major reforms in the ‘Shaktidoot Yojana’ and launched ‘Shaktidoot 2.0’.
With the motto ‘Ramshe Gujarat, Jitshe Gujarat’, Deputy CM will launch the scheme statewide tomorrow, August 12, from Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, according to a press release.
In addition, Deputy CM will distribute awards to 799 talented athletes and virtually perform the e-Bhoomi Pujan and e-inauguration of various sports complexes and libraries worth over Rs 388 crore across the state. Under this programme, athletes will be presented with the Eklavya Award, Sardar Patel Award and Jaydeepsinhji Award.
The primary objective of this scheme is to identify the potential of promising athletes in the state and provide them with need-based sports facilities, nutritious diet, modern equipment, training in India and abroad, expert coaches and medical assistance to prepare champions for international platforms such as the Olympics and Asian Games.
Notably, since 2015, athletes under this scheme have won a total of 1,604 medals, including 831 at the national level and 773 at the international level, bringing glory to the state.
Under the new ‘Shaktidoot 2.0’, financial assistance has been significantly increased for the overall development of athletes. Based on the needs and outstanding performance of athletes, the maximum assistance has been increased from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh.
In addition, giving priority to inclusivity, para, deaf, blind, and Divyang athletes will also be provided equal opportunities and equal assistance under the scheme. The number of athletes covered under the scheme will also be increased in phases. To identify new talent from the ‘Grassroots’ Level itself, the minimum age limit for applying has also been reduced from 12 to 20 years to above 9 years.
As per the new reforms, athletes will receive continuous assistance based on their performance and the fixed time limit has been removed. To make the selection process more professional and transparent, a scientific point-based marking system has been introduced with the participation of sports experts in the Screening and Selection Committee, giving appropriate priority to competitions such as the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
In addition, athletes who are not included in the Shaktidoot Yojana but demonstrate outstanding performance during the year will be provided immediate financial assistance under the ‘Shaktidoot B’ initiative. A transparent system has also been developed to upgrade categories based on performance through annual and biannual evaluations of athletes.
The Department of Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities will organise a grand programme for the inauguration and foundation stone laying of development projects worth over Rs. 388 crore across various districts of the state by DyCM.
These include 11 taluka-level sports complexes, 7 libraries and 2 study halls, 7 district-level sports complexes, 5 libraries and 2 municipal libraries. Under these projects, public-oriented works including district and taluka-level sports complexes, modern libraries, study halls, sports hostels, 400-metre athletic synthetic tracks, astroturf hockey grounds and campus development have been included across districts including Ahmedabad, Amreli, Anand, Botad, Dahod, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gir-Somnath, Jamnagar, Kutch, Mahisagar, Mehsana, Morbi, Navsari, Patan, Porbandar, Surendranagar, Tapi, Valsad and Swarnim Gujarat Sports University, Vadodara.
At the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, three athletes, and at the Paris Olympics held in 2024, three athletes were selected to represent the country.
At the 17th Asian Games in South Korea in 2014, three athletes were selected to represent India, followed by seven athletes at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018 and seven athletes at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023.
One athlete each also represented the country at the Asian Winter Games in 2017 and 2025. Recently, nine athletes supported under the Shaktidoot Scheme have been selected to represent India at the 20th Asian Games to be held in Aichi, Japan, in 2026.
At the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014, two athletes were selected to represent the country, followed by two athletes at the 21st Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018 and two athletes at the 22nd Commonwealth Games in England in 2022. Recently, one athlete was selected to represent the country at the 23rd Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2026.
Thus, athletes under the Shaktidoot Yojana have won 831 medals at the national level and 773 medals at the international level, making a total of 1,604 medals since 2015, thereby bringing glory to Gujarat. (ANI)
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