Everything You Need to Know About India’s First Olympic Village
India has taken one step further in establishing itself as a sporting nation. In what comes as the costliest bid in Olympics history, India plans to host the 2036 Summer Olympics with a maximum estimated cost of $7.47 billion. This amount, in fact, is $2.5 billion more than the much anticipated Olympics in LA, scheduled for 2028.
As of now, it is reported that the twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in Gujarat will be hosting 80% of the sports events of the 2036 Olympics. The remaining 20% of the events will be held across four other states, as per the preliminary master plan revealed by the IOC at a recent review meeting held in Gandhinagar. Here is how India is getting its first Olympic village and how the nation plans to prepare for hosting the world’s biggest sporting event within 11 years.
Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to host 80% of Olympic events in India
The twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar have laid out a grand vision to prepare for the 2036 Summer Olympics. As per Times of India, the detailed plan named ‘Review Meeting- Preparedness towards Amdavad 2036’ was recently presented in Gandhinagar during one of the high-level coordination meetings for India’s 2036 bid.
The blueprint unveils a plan estimated to cost Rs.34,700 crore and Rs.64,000, with the budget strategically divided into two segments: an Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) Budget and a Non-OCOG Budget.
The OCOG Budget is for covering the expenses with regard to event operations such as competitions, workforce, accommodation, transportation, and technology. On the other hand, the Non-OCOG Budget is planned to allocate capital investments in sporting and non-sport venues, including infrastructural upgrades and new facilities.
The OCOG’s budget is estimated to be around Rs. 18,600 crore to Rs. 41,100 crore, which by far surpasses even that of Paris 2024. The ambition for hosting this event is extremely high, with India willing to go beyond lengths to become a sporting powerhouse in the world.
Is India actually hosting the 2036 Olympics?
India has always been eager to host the Summer Olympics. The desire was first expressed by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023 during the 141st International Olympic Committee Session held in Mumbai. However, it seems like India is willing to work in lengths to bring this desire to a concrete commitment and into fruition.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already submitted its ‘expression of interest’ to the IOC’s Future Host Commission. However, the plan around Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to be the host cities for the Olympics might only be finalised by 2026 or 2027, following a reassessment of all bids.
When asked about India’s bid for hosting, the new IOC President Kirsty Coventry commented, “At the end of the day, there is a process in place, and that process is ongoing, and that will remain, as far as I know, for the next few months.”
As of now, a nation of 1.3 billion people is quite hopeful that the bid will fall in place. If it does, it will perhaps be one of the costliest Olympics ever hosted by any country.