Emphasis on strategy to position U.P. among country’s top 3 sporting States by 2036: SGFI president Deepak Kumar
The School Games Federation of India (SGFI) is implementing a new strategy to elevate Uttar Pradesh into one of India's top three sporting states by 2036. The initiative includes digitizing athlete records and pushing for the inclusion of traditional sports like Kabaddi and Yoga in the Olympics.
Why it matters
This reflects a broader national effort to professionalize school-level sports and improve India's performance in international athletic competitions.
School Games Federation of India (SGFI) chief Deepak Kumar on Thursday (July 31, 2026) said the emphasis is on formulating a strategy to ensure Uttar Pradesh ranks among the country’s top three States in sports by 2036 and to secure the inclusion of traditional sports (such as Kabaddi and Yoga) in the Olympics.
“After I assumed the presidency of SGFI in January 2023, transformative reforms have been implemented within the federation. School athlete registration, competition management, and results have been fully digitised. Modern systems are being used to eliminate fraud and ensure transparency,” Mr Kumar said in Lucknow.
More than 5 lakh digital sports certificates have been made available through DigiLocker, helping young athletes access jobs and scholarships, he said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in