A nationwide athletics league will be organized at 250 locations by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ ASMITA program to mark International Women’s Day on March 8. Minister of State for Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, announced this initiative to empower women in sports. ASMITA, a part of Khelo India’s efforts to promote sports among women, aims to engage women in sports through leagues and competitions.
The ASMITA program, initiated in 2021, has conducted over 2600 leagues in 34 sports disciplines across 550 districts and 700 cities, with more than 300,000 women participating. The leagues are not only fostering women’s sports participation but also serving as a platform to discover new talent nationwide.
Events at 250 locations will focus on athletics across different age groups, with an expected participation of 2,50,000 women on International Women’s Day. The initiative aims to encourage girls in villages and small towns to pursue sports as a career, aligning with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote sports at the grassroots level.
The nationwide league will include technical officials, volunteers, competition managers, and past champion athletes at each venue. The objective is to prepare for major sporting events like the Commonwealth Games 2030 and potentially hosting the 2036 Olympic Games by enhancing sports infrastructure and human resources at the district level.
Each athletics event will feature women technical officials, workshops, and training aligned with Athletics Federation of India standards to ensure capacity building and promote women’s participation in sports.
