Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday expressed confidence that Ahmedabad will host the 2036 Olympic Games, adding to the city’s growing reputation as a major sports hub. The announcement came during the closing ceremony of the Sansad Khel Mahotsav (MP Sports Festival) in Ahmedabad.
Shah, on a three-day visit to Gujarat, said, “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.” Ahmedabad was officially awarded the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games earlier this year.
Before the Olympics, Shah said, Ahmedabad will host nearly a dozen national and international sports competitions, including the Commonwealth Games in 2030. The minister made the remarks at the newly-built Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura, which falls under his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
The Veer Savarkar complex was constructed at a cost of Rs 800 crore, Shah noted, and several other large sports facilities are under construction, including the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Motera. These arenas, he said, will help develop world-class infrastructure for athletes and large-scale sporting events in the city.
Shah urged sportspersons from Gujarat to perform at their best and help the state become the top medal-winning state in the country during the 2036 Olympics. “I am confident that when the Olympics will be held here, India will be among the top five countries in the medal tally,” he said.
He also highlighted the growth of Indian sports under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, pointing out that the sports budget has increased from Rs 800 crore in 2014 to Rs 4,000 crore in 2025, which has helped Indian athletes achieve success in international competitions.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
