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Stairs hails Khelo India’s shift to decade-long national sports mission
New Delhi, February 1, 2026: The elevation of Khelo India into a 10-year national mission running from 2026 to 2036 marks a turning point for Indian sport, shifting policy from short-term schemes to a long-range, outcome-driven ecosystem aimed at grassroots development, elite performance and employment generation.
Stairs Foundation founder and president Siddhartha Upadhyay, welcomed the move, calling it a leadership signal that places sport firmly at the centre of nation-building. He said the mission mirrors the organisation’s long-standing focus on building structured grassroots pathways capable of producing competitive athletes and sustainable careers.
Upadhyay said Stairs’ ‘One India One Goal’ programme already operates across more than 26 states and 500 districts, creating a pipeline from local competitions to national platforms through talent tracking and coaching networks. The new mission, he added, would bring institutional backing and scale to efforts that have long lacked continuity.
Stairs plans to deepen collaboration with state governments, state Olympic associations and district-level institutions to expand leagues, strengthen coaching ecosystems and create transparent progression routes for young athletes.
