New Delhi, 23 October (H.S.): Delhi Education and Sports Minister Ashish Sood on Friday said the National School Games were not merely a sporting competition but an important platform for strengthening the country’s future sporting ecosystem.

Sood made the remarks while inaugurating the 70th National School Games 2026–27 at Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi.

Organised by the Sports Branch of the Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi, under the aegis of the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), the championships will be conducted in three phases. The first phase is scheduled from October 22 to 28, the second from October 30 to November 5, and the third from January 28 to February 3. A total of 14 sporting disciplines will feature in the event, which is expected to bring together more than 14,000 athletes and officials from across the country.

Encouraging the young athletes representing different parts of India, Sood emphasised that sportsmanship, discipline, friendship and character-building were more important than victory alone. He said initiatives such as Khelo India and Fit India, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had helped strengthen the country’s sporting culture.

“Earlier, people used to say that playing sports would lead nowhere. Today, with better training, modern facilities and financial incentives, young people are building successful and promising futures through sports as well,” the minister said.

The Delhi government has put extensive arrangements in place for the accommodation, meals, security, transportation and medical assistance of teams arriving from outside the national capital. Stadiums and sporting complexes have been equipped with international-standard tracks, fields and equipment to provide participants with a high-quality competitive environment.

Sood also outlined measures being undertaken to strengthen infrastructure and financial support for athletes in Delhi. Under the city’s incentive framework for Olympic medallists, prize money has been fixed at Rs 7 crore for a gold medal, Rs 5 crore for silver and Rs 3 crore for bronze. Attractive incentives have also been provided for medal winners at the Asian Games and other international sporting events.

The minister said a state-of-the-art sports complex was being developed in Pitampura at an estimated cost of around Rs 100 crore. In addition, sports grants provided to colleges in Delhi have been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

He also noted that more than 16,000 athletes had participated in the Khelo Mahakumbh organised in Delhi last year. Thyagaraj Stadium had also successfully hosted the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2026, further contributing to the capital’s sporting calendar.

Senior administrative officials, prominent sportspersons and representatives from states and Union Territories were present at the inauguration ceremony.

The National School Games provide a platform for young athletes to compete at the national level while encouraging sporting excellence, discipline and camaraderie. The event also forms part of broader efforts to strengthen sports participation and identify emerging talent across the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar