India's Olympic Dream Takes Shape With 2030 Commonwealth Games Rights

In the next two months, the pace of preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad will start to quicken. India has long expressed its intention to host the 2036 Olympics, and the successful hosting of the Commonwealth Games is being considered as a crucial milestone before this larger dream is realised. The race for Ahmedabad to host the Commonwealth Games actually started about eight months ago, but its preparation seemed to have begun at least four to five years prior. 

Major events like the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and the IPL 2023 proved to be important steps in this direction. Ahmedabad has shown itself to be solid at the international level due to its sports infrastructure and organising ability, which allowed it to overtake Nigeria's capital, Abuja, for the rights.

Ahmedabad - A New Sporting City

Ahmedabad has been presenting itself as a city ready for multi-sporting events for at least four to five years. The National Games were held in 2022, with Gandhinagar and Rajkot included as co-host cities.

In the last two to three years, many international games have been organised. Just last month, the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships were held at the Naranpura Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, where more than 350 players from 29 countries participated.

Multiple Sporting Events Planned Before 2030

The commitment to host large tournaments such as the Asian Aquatics Championship 2025, the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup Qualifier, the Asian Weightlifting Championship, the Archery Asia Para Cup-World Ranking Tournament 2026, the Women's Volleyball World Championship 2027, and the World Police and Fire Games 2029, alongside the Ayuthan Marathon 2026 and the TCPL 2026 (Tourism Cricket Premier League), has firmly established Ahmedabad's image as a premier sporting city.

The Main Target: Olympics 2036

India has successfully organised many multi-sporting events in the past. The 1951 and 1982 Asian Games and the 2010 Commonwealth Games were highly appreciated by experts globally. While the 2010 Commonwealth Games faced controversies, the event's organisation was excellent, and Indian players made history by winning more than 100 medals, including 38 gold.

Hosting the Olympics in Ahmedabad will be a big challenge for India, but the 2030 Commonwealth Games will prove to be a crucial step in this direction.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Supervises Bid

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is personally preparing the bid for the 2036 Olympic Games. To advance this goal, he recently ended a tussle among officials within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and instructed them to work together. Amit Shah tweeted on X, "A day of immense joy and pride for India. Raising world-class infrastructure and creating a nationwide pool of sporting talent, [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi ji has made India an amazing destination for sports," he said.

PT Usha Holding The Torch

PT Usha, President of the IOA, also stated, "These Games will not only showcase India's world-class sporting and organising capabilities but will also play a meaningful role in our national journey that is moving toward Viksit Bharat by 2047." She added, "We see the 2030 Games as a powerful opportunity to inspire our younger generation, strengthen international partnerships, and contribute to a shared future across the Commonwealth."