“Invite You To Help Us Create…”: Revanth Reddy To Anand Mahindra On Olympics

Industrialist Anand Mahindra recently sparked a discussion on India’s Olympic performance, expressing his concerns after the nation secured just six medals—one silver and five bronze—at the Paris Olympics. India’s overall ranking, 71, fell behind countries like Pakistan, North Korea, Indonesia, and Bahrain. While Mahindra praised the valiant efforts of India’s medallists, he voiced his distress over the country’s disappointing standing on the global stage.

In a series of reflections, Mahindra acknowledged the significant strides India has made in sports. He noted the considerable financial investments by the government, the improved quality of sports infrastructure, and the active participation of private sector entities, including OGQ and Jindal Sports. Additionally, Mahindra recognised the increasing emphasis on sports within schools and the shifting national mindset, where Indian athletes are celebrated with fervor. Despite these positive developments, Mahindra confessed that he was baffled by India’s inability to produce more world-class athletes, stating, “So WHAT on earth is it that prevents us from finding world-beating talent in Olympic sports?”

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Responding to Mahindra’s concerns, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy echoed the industrialist’s sentiments and revealed his own long-standing angst regarding the gap between India’s potential and performance on the Olympic stage. Reddy disclosed that he has been working on a transformative project aimed at addressing this issue—a “Young India Sports University” in Telangana. He explained that this initiative, in collaboration with the Young India Skills University (YISU), is designed to harness and develop athletic talent from across the country.

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Reddy shared details of his recent visit to South Korea, where he engaged in discussions with the Korea National Sports University (KNSU). The talks culminated in an agreement, in principle, for a partnership to establish the proposed sports university in Hyderabad. Reddy announced that a 200-acre campus has been secured in Hakimpet, where existing stadiums and facilities will be upgraded to meet Olympic-grade standards.

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In a direct appeal to Mahindra, Reddy invited the industrialist to contribute to this ambitious project, emphasising the importance of creating world-class infrastructure to enhance India’s performance at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Reddy expressed his vision of not only uplifting Telangana’s youth but also harnessing the potential of young athletes from across the nation. He stated, “I invite you to help us create an infrastructure to turnaround the performance for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Together, let us do it for Telangana, our youth, and India.”

Dear Anand Mahindra ji,
Your words,the core emotions of love for our country and belief in the immense potential of Indian youth, resonate deeply with me.

I was waiting to share this privately but am choosing to share it here because it would be something the youth of India are… https://t.co/J77Iw0xrfq

— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) August 17, 2024