UP schools, universities must groom youth to win medals at 2036 Olympics: CM Yogi

The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the initiatives of the state and said that over 500 sports-winning persons have been granted government jobs.

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, on January 16, i.e., Friday, urged the schools and universities of the state to work for the promotion of sports culture. He added that it’s essential to plan for the sports structurally so that India can become a strong contender for medals at the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics. He spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the East Zone Inter-University Women’s Basketball Championship at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University.

State government’s support for athletes

The Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the initiatives of the state and said that over 500 sports-winning persons have been granted government jobs. In addition, he stated that more than 96,000 sports kits have been distributed to the young athletes at the level of district. He also mentioned that the state will provide Rs. 10 lakh of financial help to the athletes who qualify for the Olympics.

He mentioned, “In Uttar Pradesh, our government provides special support to young athletes from the state. If a youth from Uttar Pradesh qualifies for the Olympics and participates in the team, we provide them with financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to support their participation.”

UP’s sports culture

The chief minister said that the previous decade has been a witness to rising sports culture in India. He said, “Before 2014, sports were often not a priority in government policy,” and gave credit to the sports initiatives like Khelo India and the Fit India Movement for prioritizing the athletes for national development.

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CM added, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is preparing to bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics, and we must begin preparing today to win a handsome number of medals in that event.”

CM Yogi’s tweet

‘शरीरमाद्यं खलु धर्मसाधनम्’
शिवावतारी महायोगी गुरु श्री गोरखनाथ जी की पावन धरा गोरखपुर में आयोजित पूर्वी क्षेत्र अन्तर-विश्वविद्यालय बास्केटबॉल (महिला) प्रतियोगिता-2025-26 के शुभारंभ कार्यक्रम में सम्मिलित हुआ एवं खिलाड़ियों का उत्साहवर्धन किया।
इस अवसर पर खेल विवरणिका का… pic.twitter.com/OC4S2qf0XB
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 16, 2026