The International Olympic Academy delegation met officials of the Sports Ministry to strengthen Olympic Education in India.

New Delhi, January 30, 2026: A two-member delegation from the International Olympic Academy (IOA), comprising Makis Asimakopoulos, Director, IOA, and Alexandra Karaiskou, visited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Headquarters in New Delhi to hold discussions with senior officials of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The meeting was led by Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Hari Ranjan Rao.

International Olympic Academy officials appreciated the sports infrastructure of India:

During the interaction, Asimakopoulos expressed appreciation for India’s growing sports ecosystem and the strategic roadmap of the Sports Ministry.

“I am impressed to see the plan, the strategy, and the vision that the Sports Ministry has put in place to play a major role in the Olympic Movement,” he said.

He added that after reviewing various government-led sports programs, the International Olympic Academy is keen to extend its support to strengthen Olympic education in India.

“We want to bring our expertise to train people in the sports ecosystem on the values of Olympism and the Olympic Games, so that young people in India are trained to understand Olympic values,” Asimakopoulos stated.

The meeting focused on exploring potential collaborations between the International Olympic Academy, the Ministry of Sports, the Indian Olympic Association, and the recently revived National Olympic Academy (NOA).

The aim is to enhance sports education in the country through specially curated programs for coaches, sports science professionals, and physical education teachers.

Founded in 1961 and headquartered in ancient Olympia, Greece, the International Olympic Academy is the world’s only institution dedicated exclusively to the promotion of Olympic education and studies. It operates through a global network of National Olympic Academies, including the Indian NOA, which has been revived after a long hiatus.

Alexandra Karaiskou described the discussions as highly productive.

“From the presentation made by the Secretary, Sports, we could see that India is taking concrete steps towards hosting the Commonwealth Games and bidding for the 2036 Olympic Games. I am particularly pleased that the National Olympic Academy in India has been revived, and we look forward to close collaboration with the International Olympic Academy and the Sports Authority of India to promote Olympic values,” She said.

Summarising the outcome of the meeting, Hari Ranjan Rao said, “We have had a very fruitful first meeting and intend to take this collaboration forward. Drawing from the rich experience of the IOA will help us further strengthen sports education in India. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s sports ecosystem is growing at a rapid pace, and it is critical to create experts who can take the Olympic movement forward.”

Rao further outlined areas where IOA support could be leveraged, including the development of globally benchmarked curricula tailored for Indian creation of certified courses for sports administrators, skilling initiatives at premier educational institutions, masterclasses by international experts, and joint research and digital collaborations.

It was proposed that India may host a Conclave of Global National Olympic Academies, while discussions are underway for collaboration with the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) to facilitate Olympic education and long-term legacy knowledge exchange.

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EOM.