Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed Telangana’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympics, saying the state is preparing Hyderabad with world-class sports infrastructure to support India’s bid for the Games.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the Gachibowli Sports District and the Young India Physical Education and Sports University (YIPESU) at Gachibowli. Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha joined him at the event. Ministers Vakiti Srihari, Sports Advisor A.P. Jithender Reddy, legislators, public representatives, sportspersons, officials and students also attended.
Revanth Reddy said Telangana would host the Khelo India Games in November. Meanwhile, he reiterated that the state also aspired to host the 2036 Olympics if India secured the hosting rights.
He announced that the government would establish a sports university and a world-class sports academy across 82 acres. The university will begin operations in December 2028.
2036 Olympics vision backed by sports reforms
The Chief Minister said Telangana introduced a dedicated sports policy because the country lacked a long-term roadmap for sports development. Further, he said the university drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s Young India newspaper.
Recalling Hyderabad’s sporting legacy, Revanth Reddy said the city had hosted the Afro-Asian Games, the World Military Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games. However, he noted that Hyderabad had not staged a major sporting event for nearly two decades. He added that stadiums later became venues for weddings and political programmes. The government, he said, would restore all such facilities.
The Chief Minister said the university would function under a public-private partnership model without government interference. Sanjiv Goenka, Abhinav Bindra, Kapil Dev, Kavya Maran, Upasana Konidela and Ravikanth Reddy will guide the institution.
P.T. Usha congratulated the Telangana government for establishing YIPESU. Meanwhile, she praised the government’s commitment to promoting sports and supporting young athletes.
Revanth Reddy encouraged students to pursue sports alongside academics. Additionally, he announced government jobs for athletes who bring laurels to the country. He urged youngsters to remain focused and treat setbacks as opportunities to improve. He also sought P.T. Usha’s guidance to strengthen Telangana’s sports ecosystem.
During the programme, the Chief Minister distributed cash incentives worth ₹7.15 crore to six Telangana athletes. Deepthi Jeevanji received ₹50 lakh, Dhanush Srikanth ₹2.10 crore, Esha Singh ₹3.30 crore, Nikhat Zareen ₹60 lakh, Tanishk Muralidhar Naidu ₹53.65 lakh and Ravuri Surabhi Bharadwaj ₹10 lakh.
Finally, Revanth Reddy announced that Telangana will host the 8th Khelo India Youth Games in 2026, the National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet, the Hockey India League, the World Pickleball League, the Archery Premier League and the Tennis Premier League. He also launched the Telangana Sports Knowledge on Wheels initiative.
2036 లో ఒలింపిక్స్ క్రీడలను నిర్వహించాలని భారతదేశం పోటీ పడుతున్న నేపథ్యంలో ఆ క్రీడల నిర్వహణకు తెలంగాణ ఆతిథ్యం ఇవ్వాలన్న బలమైన ఆకాంక్షను ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ @revanth_anumula గారు వ్యక్తం చేశారు. ఆ క్రీడల నిర్వహణకు అనుగుణంగా తెలంగాణ, హైదరాబాద్ నగరాన్ని అన్ని రకాలుగా సర్వసన్నద్ధం… pic.twitter.com/i1hYvexjiT
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) July 9, 2026