Date: 2025-07-18Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the felicitation ceremony of 613 medal winners and Indian contingent for the ‘21st World Police and Fire Games-2025’ in New Delhi and congratulates all the participants
The Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah, addressed a felicitation ceremony in New Delhi for the Indian contingent of the 21st World Police and Fire Games 2025, held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, where they won 613 medals. He congratulated the team and highlighted the government's commitment to promoting sports, evidenced by a fivefold increase in the sports budget over the last 10 years.
Key initiatives discussed included aiming for inclusive participation in the next World Police and Fire Games, with a goal of at least one athlete from every police force and a minimum of three medals per team. The Indian team received an incentive of ₹4,38,85,000. The Minister emphasized the importance of sports in developing resilience, teamwork, and stress reduction for police personnel.
Looking ahead, Shri Shah outlined plans for the 2029 World Police and Fire Games to be held in Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Kevadia), with a focus on winning medals. He reiterated India's ambition to host the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games, having submitted bids for the 2036 Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games.
Further initiatives include providing world-class coaches and specialized medical teams for police sports, encouraging daily sports participation within police forces, and implementing changes in recruitment rules for talent identification, forming 25 outdoor sports teams in each force, and creating joint teams of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The proposed National Sports Bill aims to recognize police forces at the state level for participation in national events. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) supports around 3,000 athletes with a monthly stipend of ₹50,000 for the 2036 Olympics. India aims to be in the top 5 in the medal tally at the 2036 Olympics.
Key Entities Referenced
Amit Shah: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation
Narendra Modi: Prime Minister of India
World Police and Fire Games: International sporting event for law enforcement and fire service personnel
New Delhi: Capital of India, location of the felicitation ceremony
Gujarat: State in India, hosting the 2029 World Police and Fire Games
2036 Olympics: The Olympic Games India is bidding to host
National Sports Bill: Proposed legislation to recognize police forces at the state level for national sporting events
All India Police Sports Control Board: Organization responsible for sports within the Indian police forces
Ministry of Home Affairs
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation
Shri Amit Shah addresses the felicitation ceremony
of 613 medal winners and Indian contingent for the
‘21st World Police and Fire Games-2025’ in New
Delhi and congratulates all the participants
The five-fold increase in sports budget in the last 10
years under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi reflects the Government's
commitment towards sports
Modi government is taking sports to every village and
the selection and training of children in every sport is
being done in a scientific manner
In the 'World Police and Fire Games' to be held in
Gujarat in the year 2029, every player should move
forward to win a medal by aiming for their targets like
‘Arjun’
India will be among the top 5 in the medal tally of
2036 Olympics
The habit of overcoming defeat and the passion to
win develop from the playing field itselfAll policemen can remain stress free and also
improve the quality of work by making sports a part
of their daily life
The proposed National Sports Bill provides for
recognition of police forces at the state level, so that
every police force can participate in the National
Games as a unit
Last year, the Home Ministry has taken several
initiatives like changes in recruitment rules for talent
identification, formation of 25 outdoor sports teams in
each force and a joint team of CAPFs
Posted On: 18 JUL 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, addressed the felicitation ceremony of
Indian Police and Fire Brigade contingent, who returned after participating in the 21st World Police and Fire
Games-2025 held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, in New Delhi today. Many dignitaries including Director
of Intelligence Bureau and Special Secretary (Internal Security) of Ministry of Home Affairs were present on
the occasion.Union Home Minister expressed happiness over the Indian contingent winning 613 medals at the 21st World
Police and Fire Games and congratulated the Indian police and fire services team for their excellent
performance and for making the country proud. He said that the next World Police and Fire Games will be
held in India. Shri Shah said that our aim should be to ensure that at least one athlete from every police force
under the All India Police Sports Control Board participates in the next World Police and Fire Games. Our
participation should be inclusive. He added that each team should aim to win at least three medals. By setting
such a goal, the record of winning 613 medals will break on its own.
Shri Amit Shah said that today the Indian team was given an incentive amount of ₹4,38,85,000. He mentioned
that earlier, the Police and Fire Games were not given much importance in the country. However, in terms of
participation, this is the world's largest sporting event after the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. Shri
Shah said that nearly 10,000 athletes take part in these games, and because of the country's strong
performance, it is a matter of great pride for 1.4 billion citizens.Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that athletes from various police forces have
performed well by participating in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, now our focus should be on
the World Police and Fire Games - 2029. In the 2029 World Police and Fire Games to be held in Gujarat,
every athlete should move forward to win a medal by focusing on a single goal, just like Arjun. Shri Shah said
that many members of the Indian contingent won medals at the World Police and Fire Games - 2025, but there
were also many who could not achieve success. He said that the most important thing for us is to participate in
the game; winning and losing are part of life. Setting the goal to win and striving to achieve victory should be
our nature, and winning should become our habit. With the habit of winning, we always move towards
excellent performance.
Union Home Minister said that the upcoming World Police and Fire Games will be held in
Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Kevadia in Gujarat. He expressed the hope that Indian athletes will
perform so well in these games that it will be recognized that there is great potential for sports in
India. He mentioned that the Modi government is trying to host the Olympics, Commonwealth
Games, and Asian Games in India so that sports become a part of the people’s nature. Shri Shah
added that India is going to bid for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, has already submitted a bid
for the Commonwealth Games, and has again submitted bid to host the Asian Games. The purpose
of hosting these events in India is to make sports a natural part of the lives of the country’s people
and different sections, such as the police and fire brigade. He added that sports should be an
integral part of life. He said that a child who does not play becomes discouraged by defeat, and a
child who does not resolve to win after losing never develops the habit of winning. There is only one
place to learn — the ground, the playing field — and it is on the playing field that the habit of
accepting defeat and the passion to achieve victory are developed. He said that gradually this
attitude should develop among our youth.
Shri Amit Shah urged the All India Police Sports Control Board to provide world-class coaches to the Indian
police teams and to give specialized training to the medical teams of the forces for treating sports-related
injuries. He said that both these tasks need to be carried out in a planned manner and assured that full support
will be provided by the Ministry of Sports.
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah urged the Directors General of all Central Armed Police
Forces (CAPFs) to create an environment where every police personnel and officer develops a
sporting spirit. He said that police officers should start their mornings with a parade alongside their
subordinates and spend their evenings playing sports with them. This will help relieve work-related
stress and improve performance. Shri Shah stated that sports teach us to think broadly. All Central
and State police forces should cultivate this habit from top to bottom. He added that the governmentis taking steps to promote sports within the security forces by relaxing service rules and adapting
recruitment processes accordingly.
Shri Amit Shah said that last year the Ministry of Home Affairs made several initiatives, including
changes in recruitment rules for talent identification, formation of 25 outdoor sports teams in each
force, and creating combined teams of the CAPFs. He added that the proposed National Sports Bill
includes a provision to recognize police forces at the state level, enabling each police force to
participate as a single unit in national sporting events.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that under the leadership of Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi, the sports budget has increased fivefold in the past 10 years, reflecting the
government's commitment to sports. A large number of new sports infrastructures have been
developed. Under the TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme), around 3,000 athletes are being
supported with a monthly stipend of 50,000 to prepare for the 2036 Olympic Games. The Fit India
Movement has also positively impacted the athlete selection process, resulting in a threefold
increase in the number of medals won in the Olympics, Paralympics, and Asian Games.
Shri Amit Shah expressed hope that India will be in the top 5 of the medal tallies at the 2036 Olympics. He
said that the Modi government is taking sports to every village, and the selection and training of children in
every sport are being done scientifically. Shri Shah added that a very positive environment for sports is now
developing in the country.
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RK/VV/HS/PS/PR
(Release ID: 2145879)