Aurangabad, March 8 Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Khadse, on Sunday said that India's medal count at the Summer Olympic Games and other multi-disciplinary events can significantly improve if women's participation in sports increases substantially.
Khadse made this statement during the launch of a nationwide athletics league at 250 locations across the subcontinent under the ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action) programme, held at the Divisional Sports Complex, Garkheda, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, to celebrate International Women's Day.
The MoS also inaugurated yoga, wushu, kickboxing, and weightlifting leagues under the ASMITA banner, as well as the start of a cyclothon and walkathon, organized by the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in collaboration with My Bharat, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation, and the Maharashtra State Sports Department, to promote fitness, sports participation, and women's empowerment.
Khadse described ASMITA as a catalyst for improving India's medal count in international competitions, saying, "International Women's Day reminds us that women's rights, dignity, and equal opportunities are not just a social necessity, but the foundation of nation building. By providing opportunities to women, the entire society becomes empowered. That is what we are doing through ASMITA, which was launched in 2021 by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"ASMITA is helping us identify talent from the grassroots, from rural and tribal backgrounds, as well as from school-level programs. When participation increases, the talent pool increases, competition improves, and then the medal count also improves. If more women start taking up sports, we will improve our performance in major events. So, in a way, ASMITA is a catalyst in improving medal counts at international competitions like the Olympics."
As of now, the ASMITA League has seen the participation of nearly 3 lakh women in 33 disciplines across 2600 leagues. In the 2025-26 period, around 1.59 lakh women have already participated in 1287 leagues.
On the occasion of International Women's Day, the ASMITA athletics league was conducted in three different race classes – 100 metres, 200 metres, and 400 metres – for girls aged under-13, 13-18, and 18 and above, across 250 locations nationwide. A total of 2 lakh girls participated in the one-day event, which was implemented in collaboration with MY Bharat, Khelo India Centres (KICs), the SAI ecosystem and NCOEs, State and District Sports Associations, as well as District Youth Officers (DYOs).
"Let every district become active in sports, every daughter become confident, and fitness become a national habit. Through Khelo India, Fit India, MY Bharat, and ASMITA, we are building a stronger, fitter, and empowered India. Under the vision of Prime Minister, India's sports ecosystem is continuously becoming more inclusive and women-centric," Khadse said.
