T.N. govt. to set up Talent Research Wing to groom future Olympic champions

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Tamil Nadu Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Aadhav Arjuna on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) said a Talent Research Wing would be established under the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) at a cost of ₹5 crore to identify talented young boys and girls in sports in the age group of 8 to 18 and train them to become future Olympic champions.

Making the announcements for the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department, Mr. Arjuna said that currently, Tamil Nadu has a total of 44 sports hostels in 27 districts. He said new sports hostels would be established in all districts.

All sports hostels functioning under the SDAT would be modernised, with air-conditioning facilities. Ten Olympic Centres of Excellence would also be established at a cost of ₹15 crore with the aim of winning medals at the Olympics and international sporting competitions, he said.

A Paralympic Centre of Excellence would also be established in Chennai. An SDAT ‘Olympic House’ would be established in Chennai to coordinate activities related to the Olympics and international-level sporting competitions. To take Tamil Nadu’s traditional sports such as kabaddi, kho-kho, silambam, and kalaripayattu to the global level, the Tamil Nadu traditional sports competitions would be conducted annually at a cost of ₹42 crore, he said.

The cash incentive given to Tamil Nadu sportspersons who win gold medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be increased from ₹3 crore to ₹5 crore. For silver medal winners, it would be increased from ₹2 crore to ₹3 crore, and for bronze medal winners, from ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore. The financial assistance provided to Tamil Nadu sportspersons who qualify for the Olympic and Paralympic Games would also be increased from ₹7 lakh to ₹15 lakh, he added.

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