India unveils 'Rising Together' as vision for 2036 Olympic and Paralympic bid in Ahmedabad
India unveiled "Rising Together" as the vision for its proposed bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Wednesday. The Indian Olympic Association said the plan frames sport as a catalyst for wider social and sporting development.
The International Olympic Committee confirmed on Tuesday that India is one of seven countries currently in Continuous Dialogue over hosting the 2036 Games, alongside Germany, Hungary, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkiye. India submitted its Expression of Interest in 2024 and has developed its proposal through engagement with the IOC over the past 18 months. The next formal step is a presentation to the IOC's Future Host Commission, which the IOA said it expected to make for the first time at the end of October.
The IOA described "Rising Together" as a programme to increase participation in sport in India and to offer the Olympic Movement access to new audiences and communities. P T Usha, president of the IOA, said: "For us, 'Rising Together' is not simply a slogan - it is a powerful commitment to unite India's energy, ambition and diversity behind a shared Olympic dream," and said India wanted to stage a Games that reflected the country's young population while helping the Olympic and Paralympic movements reach new generations. "If we rise together - with our athletes, our people, our cities and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements - the possibilities are limitless," Usha said.
The IOA said the project is designed to encourage young people to move from watching sport to participating in it while creating opportunities linked to education and employment. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said: "India's ambition for 2036 is rooted in a simple idea: that sport can help shape the future of our nation," and added: "Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would inspire millions of young Indians to participate in sport, strengthen healthier and more active communities, and create new opportunities for our youth across education, employment and social development."
As part of its bid narrative, the IOA argued that hosting the Games would connect the Olympic Movement with one of the world's youngest and most digitally connected populations and could bring new athletes, audiences and partners into the Olympic family.
The 2036 process was revised after IOC president Kirsty Coventry initiated a "pause and review" following her election last year, and the new procedure is being overseen by the Future Host Commission with several stages before a final host is chosen. The IOC said on Tuesday that the seven Interested Parties would be assessed on technical factors including their venue masterplans, athlete experience, funding strategies, political and public support, Games delivery capabilities and legacy plans. Projects will also be assessed for their broader vision and alignment with local development plans and the objectives of the Olympic Movement.
The IOC Executive Board is expected to shortlist Interested Parties to move from Continuous Dialogue into Strategic Dialogue by March 2027. Preferred Hosts are then due to be invited into Targeted Dialogue in December 2028, with IOC members expected to elect the 2036 host in mid-2029.