After successfully holding the Asian Games, Afro Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, India has now set its eyes to host the world’s biggest sporting event, the summer Olympic Games in Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s home state of Gujarat in 2036.

Though India is yet to make a formal bid, its chances of becoming the fourth Asian city to hold the quadrangular sporting event will depend on the pitch it makes at the IOC session in Mumbai in September 2023. It will be for the first time ever that India will be hosting the IOC general session.

“This is the right time to host the Games. If India is making news in every sector from manufacturing to services, then why not in sports. Gujarat has several times  expressed interest in hosting the Olympics. They have the infrastructure – from hostels and hotels to airports and sports complexes,” says Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.

Anurag Thakur, who comes from Himachal Pradesh, says that the Union Government would stand by the new look Indian Olympic Association when it bids for the 2036 Olympic Games. Only early this month, the new look Indian Olympic Association elected its first ever Olympian PT Usha as its President. PT Usha is also a nominated member of Upper House of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and represents the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Though Gujarator Ahmedabad have never held any major sporting event under the banner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), it has of late shown great inclination after New Delhi, Pune and Hyderabad to host a world level sporting competition.

Anurag Thakur in his recent media interaction said that “if India can host the G20 Presidency in such a big way, I am sure the government will be able to  host the Olympic Games along with the IOA. Since the slots are already booked till 2032, the earliest India can hope to host the Games is 2036. After 2036 onwards, we have hopes and I am sure India will prepare and bid for the Olympic Games.”

Indian government, he said, would prepare a roadmap in consultation with the Indian Olympic Association to be presented during the September 2023 IOC session in Mumbai. Hosting the prestigious IOC session for the first time on Indian soil offers a great opportunity for the country to showcase its potential as a host of major sporting events.

Going by Anurag Thakur, the Gujarat Government has already initiated plans to prepare itself for the mega event.

( Prabhjot Singh is a former editor of Tribune, India)