Sports Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 7.87 crore as an out-of-pocket allowance for 2,625 Khelo India athletes training in 99 Khelo India Academies and or academies across country. se athletes were selected to train in various sporting disciplines under Government’s Khelo India Talent Development Scheme, which is a grassroots level talent identification and nurturing endeavour of government. sanction is for period October to December of 2019 and is paid to each athlete as a sum of Rs.10,000 a month.

READ | India bags 9th gold medal at 10th Asian Group Championship

Over 2000 athletes train under Khelo India initiative

Of total number of 2,625 athletes, 1312 are training in Khelo India Academies and apart from out-of-pocket allowance, identified sports talent under Khelo India Talent Development Scheme is given full support in terms of coaching, sports science, injury prevention, diet, lodging and education.  Each athlete in a KI academy is given an annual scholarship of Rs 5 lakhs, of which 1 lakh 20 thousand is directly transferred to athlete’s bank account as out-of-pocket allowance. Khelo India Scheme acts as a feeder to or elite schemes of government, including Target Olympic Podium Scheme. Athletes like weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga, shooter Saurabh Chaudhary, swimmer Srihari Nataraj are all Khelo India finds who have later been inducted into  Core Group or Developmental Group of TOPS.

READ | India enters World Athletics Championships with low expectations

PM Modi launches Khelo India mobile app

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, February 27, launched Khelo India Mobile App in New Delhi at Vigyan Bhawan during Youth Parliament Festival. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and or dignitaries were present at launch. Khelo India App is a first-of-its-kind sports application, developed by Sports Authority of India (SAI) that brings under one umbrella three significant features that toger can help to create more awareness about sports and fitness among masses in general and youngsters in particular. Developed as part of Khelo India Scheme, which is largest sporting talent identification and nurturing platform in country, application aims to furr Prime Minister’s vision to develop sporting ecosystem in India and turn it into a global sporting superpower in years to come

READ | Indian athletes' campaign commences at World Athletics Championship

READ | Wrestling Rankings: Deepak Punia becomes World .1 in 86 kg category