State Announces 10‑Year Plan to Propel Gujarat Sports Talent

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi announced a ten‑year vision for Gujarat’s sports ecosystem during a launch event in Gandhinagar on August 12. The revamped Shaktidoot 2.0 programme will channel Rs 50 million per year to each of 500 elite athletes, providing world‑class training support and covering costs that average about Rs 4.25 million per month.

The programme is part of the "Ramshere Gujarat, Jitshere Gujarat" drive and coincided with the inauguration of more than 37 new sports complexes, libraries and related amenities across the state, with an investment exceeding Rs 388 crore. A total of 799 athletes were celebrated with the Eklaavya, Sardar Patel and Jaydeep Singh awards for distinguished performances.

Sanghvi reaffirmed the government’s dedication to backing young athletes in pursuit of their goals, noting that the original Shaktidoot initiative, launched in 2015, has supported 1,740 athletes, including 777 who have won medals on the international stage. The new scheme expands direct aid from 64 to 500 athletes and reserves 50 slots specifically for para‑athletes.

Candidates may apply year‑round through a dedicated portal, with selections determined by medal records and performance data. Additionally, Gujarat will establish a state‑of‑the‑art sports science and medical recovery centre to aid injured athletes in returning to competition swiftly.