'Padhoge-likhoge' mindset needs to be changed, India must plan for increasing medal tally: Sohail Khan on 2036 Olympic Vision

FOLLOWING his historic exploits at the 2025 Kudo World Cup, silver medallist Sohail Khan hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for bidding to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad but also pointed out the areas which need to be focused on if India were to take on the massive responsibility.

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Recently, a high-level Indian delegation, including the Minister of Sports of the State of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghavi, and IOA President P.T. Usha, made a productive visit to the Olympic Capital in Lausanne. This crucial exchange with the IOC and its Future Host Summer Commission for the 2036 Summer Olympics aims to explore the opportunity and feasibility of India hosting a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Sohail believes the first thing that needs to change is the academically driven curriculum, which is still heavily present across schools in the country.

"A huge credit goes to Narendra Modiji and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India for aiming to bring the Olympics to the country. We need to improve a lot of things. I come from a town where phrases like

"'Padhoge Likhoge banoge nawab' is still used. If we change the thinking across the grassroots levels of the country, be it any sport, we will grow to another level," Sohail told IANS.