India strengthening its infrastructure, research capabilities for Olympics: PT Usha

Ahmedabad: India is focussing not just on strengthening infrastructure capabilities, but also intellectual preparedness as it eyes hosting rights for the 2036 Olympic Games, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha has said.
The former track and field star noted India’s engagement with the quadrennial international games goes beyond competitive sports to embrace its true spirit of promoting peace and cultural exchange.
She was addressing the 1st International Olympic Research Conference at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) near Dehgam in Gandhinagar district. The four-day conference has been organised by the Bharat Centre for Olympic Research and Education (B-CORE) of the RRU, an institution of national importance under the Union home ministry.
In her address, Usha said thanks to the conference, representatives of various Olympic studies and research centres from across the world as well as experts from diverse fields have converged in India.
“India’s engagement with the Olympic movement is at a transformative moment, one that goes beyond competitive sports to embrace the true spirit of Olympisim — that is promoting peace, education and cultural exchange through sports,” she insisted.
“What makes this conference significant is its timing. As India intends to host the (2036) Olympics, we are not just strengthening our infrastructure capabilities, but our intellectual and research preparedness too,” said the former athlete, who dominated Asian track and field in the 1980s.
The IOA president maintained the conference will serve as a platform where global expertise meets Indian innovation through discussion on urban transformation, technological advancements, sustainability and inclusive governance.
One of the main purposes of the conference is to demonstrate India’s holistic approach to sports development and its role in societal progress, Usha emphasised.