Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday, December 5, that Ahmedabad will secure the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympic Games, just few days after the city was officially awarded the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Sansad Khel Mahotsav in Ahmedabad, Shah told the audience that the city should prepare for an even larger global stage in the coming years.
“You recently won the bid for the Commonwealth Games. But people of Ahmedabad, be prepared, because the city is also going to welcome the Olympics in 2036,” Shah announced, drawing loud applause from the gathering.
The event took place at the newly constructed Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura, which falls under Shah’s Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
Shah, who began a three-day visit to Gujarat on Friday, said Ahmedabad is expected to host nearly a dozen major national and international sports competitions before 2036.
He explained that the objective is to build a steady sporting culture and create world-class infrastructure capable of supporting mega events such as the Olympics. He highlighted the scale of sports development, noting that the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex was built at a cost of ₹800 crore. He added that other major facilities, including the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Motera, are also progressing rapidly and will further elevate Ahmedabad’s capabilities.
Appealing to athletes from Gujarat, Shah urged them to ensure that the state becomes the top medal-winning region in the country by the time the Olympics arrive.
He also expressed high confidence in India's position on the global stage, saying, “I am confident that when the Olympics are held here, India will be among the top five countries in the medal tally.”
Shah credited India’s recent rise in international sports to the central government's significantly increased funding. He stated that the sports budget had grown dramatically, from ₹800 crore in 2014 to ₹4,000 crore in 2025, enabling improved training, facilities, and support systems for athletes.
Later in the day, the Union minister inaugurated the Ahmedabad Shopping Festival organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation at Sindhu Bhavan Road, continuing his engagements in the city.
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