Strategic Roadmap Targets Top-Three National Sports Ranking for Uttar Pradesh by 2036
SGFI President Deepak Kumar outlines a comprehensive strategy to elevate Uttar Pradesh's sporting status while digitizing student-athlete records. New initiatives aim to integrate traditional Indian disciplines into the Olympic program.
Key takeaways
- Uttar Pradesh aims to become a top-three Indian sporting state by 2036 through a new strategic partnership between the SGFI and the state government.
- India has secured the hosting rights for the 2027 ISF World School Wrestling and Badminton Championships, to be held in Delhi.
- The SGFI has fully digitized athlete registrations and competition data, issuing 5 lakh verifiable sports certificates through the DigiLocker platform.
- Advocacy efforts are underway to include traditional Indian disciplines like Yoga and Kabaddi in the Olympic Games program.
- The SGFI now reaches over 4.14 crore students across 2.62 lakh schools, managing 250 national championships annually.
Digitization and Infrastructure Reforms in School Sports
Since January 2023, the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) has undergone a structural overhaul to enhance transparency and eliminate administrative fraud. President Deepak Kumar, speaking in Lucknow on July 30, 2026, confirmed that competition management, athlete registration, and results are now fully digital operations. A significant milestone includes the issuance of 5 lakh digital sports certificates via DigiLocker, providing young athletes with streamlined access to scholarships and employment opportunities.
The federation's current reach extends to 2.62 lakh schools, impacting over 4.14 crore students. During the 2025–26 session, the SGFI coordinated 250 national championships across 44 disciplines. These events utilized 45 affiliated bodies to support more than 61,000 student-athletes. Beyond domestic logistics, the organization has focused on professional development, certifying 120 physical education teachers and coaches through the International Capacity Building Programme.
Global Hosting Rights and International Ambitions
India is set to become a focal point for international school sports following successful bids for two major global events. In 2027, Delhi will host both the ISF World School Wrestling Championship and the ISF World School Badminton Championship. These competitions expect to draw over 1,100 participants from 35 nations. To facilitate these events, the SGFI formalized agreements with the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Welfare and the Delhi government.
Deepak Kumar, an IAS officer of the 1990 batch who serves as UP's Additional Chief Secretary of Finance, was recently elected as an assessor for the International School Sports Federation in Belgrade, Serbia. This international standing is being leveraged to advocate for the inclusion of traditional sports, specifically Yoga and Kabaddi, in future Olympic Games.
Uttar Pradesh’s 2036 Performance Target
A central component of the federation's long-term vision is positioning Uttar Pradesh as one of India's top three sporting states by 2036. Following a meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Kumar emphasized that the strategy involves identifying rural talent and preparing them for the global stage. Recent international successes, such as the Indian boys' team winning bronze at the 2025 U15 World School Volleyball Championship, serve as a benchmark for this development trajectory. The overarching objective remains the cultivation of Olympic-ready athletes to support India’s broader aspirations for the 2036 Olympic cycle.
Source: The Hindu — National
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