Executive Summary:
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted India's increased investment in sports, recognizing the pioneering role of oil and gas PSUs. This announcement was made at a National Sports Day event organized by the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) in collaboration with the Delhi Soccer Association and Sudeva Academy. The event celebrated India's sporting achievements and PSPB's contributions, including promoting sports in Sonbhadra district. The Minister also made mention of the recently passed National Sports Governance Bill, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **National Sports Policy and Investment:**
* India has increased its policy focus and public investment in sports.
* Oil and gas PSUs have played a pioneering role in nurturing sporting culture.
* **National Sports Day:**
* August 29th is celebrated as National Sports Day in India, commemorating Major Dhyan Chand's birth anniversary.
* **Transformation in India's Sports Sector:**
* Since 2014, there has been a concerted effort to make India a sporting nation.
* Support is provided to promising young athletes, including funding, nutrition, sports science, and coaching.
* The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 was passed to overhaul the governance framework of sports federations and increase accountability.
* **Achievements in Sports:**
* India achieved record medal hauls in the 2023 Asian Games (107 medals) and the 2024 Para Asian Games (29 medals, including 7 gold).
* **Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB):**
* PSPB is one of the largest sports promotion bodies in India, comprising 16 member organizations.
* It supports and organizes competitions in 19 sporting disciplines.
* PSPB athletes have consistently brought laurels to India, with 151 national awardees.
* **PSPB's Role in Sonbhadra District:**
* PSPB promotes sports in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh.
* Archery competitions are conducted to harness sporting talent.
* Plans are underway to organize a sailing event and support the building of a Water Sports Training Centre.
Impact Analysis:
* **Young Athletes:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from increased funding, improved nutrition, sports science, and coaching.
* *Action Required:* Continue to strive for elite performance and contribute to India's sporting achievements.
* **Sports Federations and Bodies:**
* *Impact:* Subject to a reformed governance framework under the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, leading to increased accountability.
* *Action Required:* Adapt to the new governance standards and ensure compliance with the updated regulations.
* **Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB):**
* *Impact:* Recognized for its significant contribution to sports promotion and talent development.
* *Action Required:* Continue supporting and organizing sports competitions, nurture talent, and promote sports in adopted districts like Sonbhadra.
* **Sonbhadra District:**
* *Impact:* Receives focused attention for sports development, including archery competitions, sailing events, and a new Water Sports Training Centre.
* *Action Required:* Participate in sports programs and utilize the new facilities to enhance sporting talent in the district.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: The Indian government ministry responsible for the exploration, production, refining, distribution, marketing, import, export, and conservation of petroleum, natural gas, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas.
Hardeep Singh Puri: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India.
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB): A sports promotion body in India comprising 16 member organizations, supporting and organizing competitions in 19 sporting disciplines.
Delhi Soccer Association: An association involved in promoting soccer, collaborating with PSPB in the event.
Sudeva Academy: An academy collaborating with PSPB and the Delhi Soccer Association for the National Sports Day event.
National Sports Day: Celebrated on 29th August, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, the legend of Indian hockey.
National Sports Governance Bill, 2025: A bill passed to overhaul the governance framework of sports federations and bodies in India.
Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh: A district in Uttar Pradesh adopted under the Aspirational Districts programme, where PSPB promotes sports.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
India’s Oil & Gas PSUs Pioneering Role in Nurturing
Sporting Culture: Hardeep Singh Puri
Posted On: 30 AUG 2025 12:44PM by PIB Delhi
Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, today said that India has ramped up its
policy focus and public investment for sports. “In this regard, India’s oil and gas PSUs have played a
pioneering role,” the Minister emphasised.
The Minister was speaking at an event organised by the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) in
collaboration with the Delhi Soccer Association and Sudeva Academy to celebrate National Sports Day. 29th
August is celebrated as India’s National Sports Day because it is the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand
– the legend of Indian hockey. Ms. Sabeena Chowdhary, Member Secretary, PSPB, and Shri Anuj Gupta,
President, Sudeva Delhi FC, also participated in the event.
Highlighting the transformation in India’s sports sector, Shri Puri said, “After 2014, there has been a
concerted effort to make India a ‘sporting nation’. There is now deep support for promising youngsters to
have elite-pathway success, not only in terms of funding, but also in the development of the entire ecosystem
including nutrition, sports science, and coaching.”
He noted that in the last session of Parliament, concluded only a week ago, the historic National Sports
Governance Bill, 2025 was passed to overhaul the governance framework of sports federations and bodies –
thus increasing accountability.
“Results demonstrate the success of these transformative policies,” the Minister observed. “The last ten years
have shown this: in the 2023 Asian Games and the 2024 Para Asian Games, we achieved record hauls of 107
medals and 29 medals (7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze) respectively.”Acknowledging the contribution of PSPB, Shri Puri said, “Among the many stakeholders who have helped
secure this transformation, a special mention is due to PSPB, which is one of the largest sports promotion
bodies in the country, comprising 16 member organisations, while supporting and organising competitions in
19 sporting disciplines.”
Over the decades, PSPB athletes have consistently brought laurels to India, with as many as 151 national
awardees having been PSPB sportspersons. These include 3 Padma Bhushan, 13 Padma Shri, 10 Major Dhyan
Chand Khel Ratna, 1 Dronacharya Award, 7 Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Awards and 117 Arjuna
Awardees.
The Minister also highlighted PSPB’s role in promoting sports in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh – the
district he has adopted under the Aspirational Districts programme. “PSPB has harnessed superb sporting
talent in the district by conducting archery competitions and promoting the sport. Now, we are planning to
organise a Sailing event in Sonbhadra next year, and support the building of a Water Sports Training Centre –
further initiatives that will strengthen India’s budding sports ecosystem,” he stated.
Expressing his happiness, Shri Puri said, “I am very happy to be here in an event which the Petroleum Sports
Promotion Board is organising along with the Delhi Soccer Association.”
***
MN
(Release ID: 2162165)