In Chengdu, China, India recently took part in the 31st World University Game, a prestigious multi-discipline sports event that spotlights university athletes across the globe. Conducted every two years by the FISU (International University Sports Federation), the event was delayed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, India emerged triumphant with a collective total of 26 medals across four disciplines, marking its highest medal tally in the history of the World University Games.
The World University Game: An Overview
The World University Game, also known as “Universiade,” is an international event designed for university athletes and overseen by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The Universiade is held every two years and covers a broad range of sports akin to those presented in the Olympic Games, including summer and winter disciplines.
FISU is responsible for managing the Universiade events, coordinating host cities, and ensuring the games abide by the organisation’s principles and regulations. The summer Universiade generally includes sports like athletics, swimming, basketball, soccer, and more. The winter Universiade consists of sports such as skiing, ice hockey, figure skating, among others.
Japan was the dominant nation in the previous Universiade held in Naples in 2019, securing the highest number of medals. The next Winter World University Games are slated for 2025 in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany.
The Role of Khelo India Scheme
Launched by the Indian government in 2017, the Khelo India Scheme seeks to revitalise India’s sporting culture by engaging children at grassroots levels. Implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, it has led to increased participation in national level sports competitions such as Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), the Khelo India University Games (KIUG), and the Khelo India Winter Games. These platforms act as stepping stones, where promising young talents represent their respective states and universities and compete for medals.
Objective of the Khelo India Scheme
The Khelo India Scheme functions as the Indian government’s flagship program designed to identify, nurture, and promote sporting talent in the country. Over the years, the scheme has proved successful, with many of its athletes achieving recognition at the World University Games.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
In September 2014, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports initiated the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to improve India’s performance at Olympics and Paralympics. Revamped in April 2018, it established a technical support team to manage TOPS athletes and provide holistic support. TOPS-sponsored athletes have seen relative success at international events such as the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
