Pravasi Sports: India’s Cultural Connector for the 2036 Olympics

In its ambitious bid for the 2036 Olympics, India is leveraging the concept of Pravasi Sports, an initiative by the Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA), to bolster its standing on the global stage. Ahmedabad has been nominated as the host city, signaling a grassroots-to-global blueprint that HIPSA touts as transformative.

Pravasi Sports seeks to reconnect the Indian diaspora with their cultural roots while exporting indigenous sports internationally. The success of events like the Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League underscores the viability of this approach, drawing participation from diaspora youth and international peers, and generating significant interest.

HIPSA's expanding agenda includes launching the Global Pravasi Cricket League and organizing the 'Chalo India' Marathon, alongside a proposed Pravasi Sports Summit. These initiatives aim to present India's unique sporting identity to a worldwide audience and inspire the diaspora to engage actively in India's sporting success story.

Kanthi D Suresh, HIPSA's president, highlighted the strategic timing, noting that Pravasi Sports enhances India's global narrative by marrying emotional resonance with the diaspora and the global proliferation of Indian sports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks in Trinidad & Tobago further emphasized the diaspora's role as India's pride.

With broad institutional backing, international reach, and deep cultural ties, Pravasi Sports emerges not only as a timely innovation but also as a strategic cornerstone in India's journey to achieve sporting greatness.

(With inputs from agencies.)