**Summary:**
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse, visited the Weightlifting Warriors Academy in Modinagar, a Khelo India Accredited Academy, on July 9, 2025. The visit, which included Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu, Head Coach Vijay Sharma, IWLF President Sahdev Yadav, and CEO Ashwani Kumar, highlighted the academy's role in nurturing young athletes and supporting elite weightlifters.
The Weightlifting Warriors Academy, founded by Chief National Coach Shri Vijay Sharma, provides a holistic training environment with a modern gym, nutrition-focused food services, advanced training equipment, and sports science facilities. The academy, supported by the Khelo India Scheme and other sporting bodies, offers scientific training methodologies, performance analysis, injury prevention programs, and rehabilitation support. It houses 40 young athletes (aged 8-14) and 15 elite athletes, including Mirabai Chanu, in its residential wing, which has a capacity for 60 athletes in 30 rooms.
Smt. Khadse emphasized the government's commitment to building a comprehensive sports ecosystem under "Khelo Bharat Niti 2025" to discover and sustain talent through world-class coaching and community engagement. She underscored the importance of academies like Weightlifting Warriors in achieving the goals of Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, which aims to transform India into a global sporting powerhouse. The visit reaffirmed the government's dedication to investing in institutions that foster sporting excellence.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The Indian government ministry responsible for youth affairs and sports.
Raksha Khadse: Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.
Mirabai Chanu: Indian Olympic medalist in weightlifting.
Weightlifting Warriors Academy: A Khelo India Accredited Academy in Modinagar that focuses on weightlifting training.
Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh: The city in Uttar Pradesh where the Weightlifting Warriors Academy is located.
Khelo India Scheme: A national program for the development of sports in India.
Vijay Sharma: Head Coach of Weightlifting Warriors Academy and Chief National Coach.
Khelo Bharat Niti 2025: A visionary policy aimed at transforming India into a formidable global sporting powerhouse by creating a comprehensive and sustainable sports development framework.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
‘When Women Lift, the Nation Rises’: Smt. Raksha
Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs &
Sports
Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu and Smt Khadse
discuss crucial aspects of strength and conditioning,
nutrition and sports science for comprehensive
athlete development
Posted On: 09 JUL 2025 1:28PM by PIB Delhi
Smt. Raksha Khadse, MoS Youth Affairs & Sports undertook a significant visit to the Weightlifting Warriors
Academy in Modinagar, a beacon of excellence under the Khelo India Accredited Academy initiative. She
was joined by Olympic Medalist Mirabai Chanu, Head Coach Vijay Sharma, Sahdev Yadav, President IWLF,
Ashwani Kumar, CEO IWLF.
The Weightlifting Warriors Academy, founded by the Chief National Coach Shri Vijay Sharma, is a state-of-
the-art facility meticulously designed to cultivate future champions. Operating with robust support under the
Khelo India Scheme and from various sporting bodies, the academy offers a holistic environment for athletic
development.
Khelo India Accredited Academy - a game changer component of Khelo India Scheme:For a facility to be accredited as Khelo India Accredited Academy, it is required to conform to the norms of
the Khelo India scheme. This Weightlifting Warriors Academy has a modern, fully-equipped gym, a
dedicated food mess ensuring optimal nutrition, and cutting-edge training equipment and sports science
facilities. This isn't just about traditional coaching anymore. Athletes here benefit from scientific training
methodologies, advanced performance analysis, targeted injury prevention programs, and comprehensive
rehabilitation support. Its residential wing boasts 30 comfortable rooms, capable of housing up to 60 athletes.
Currently, the academy is a vibrant hub for 40 promising young athletes, aged 8-14, who are taking their first
steps towards sporting greatness. They train alongside 15 elite athletes, including none other than India’s
celebrated Olympic medalist, Mirabai Chanu, whose dedication and prowess serve as a constant source of
inspiration within these walls.
Addressing the enthusiastic young athletes, coaches, and staff, Smt. Khadse said "Under ‘Khelo Bharat Niti
2025’, we are building an ecosystem that not only discovers talent but also sustains it through world-class
coaching and community engagement. I have realised when women lift, the entire nation rises, and we pledge
to leave no talent undiscovered and no aspiration unfulfilled.”
Smt. Khadse’s visit highlighted the pivotal role of these academies in identifying and nurturing talent
from the grassroots, equipping them with world-class facilities and expert guidance. Such
institutions are crucial to realizing the ambitious goals of "Khelo Bharat Niti 2025," a visionary policy
aimed at transforming India into a formidable global sporting powerhouse by creating a
comprehensive and sustainable sports development framework.
The presence of an iconic athlete like Mirabai Chanu at the academy serves as a potent motivator
for the young trainees, vividly demonstrating the heights that can be achieved through dedicated
training and access to the premier facilities provided by the Khelo India initiative. Smt. Khadse
commended the academy’s efforts in fostering a culture of excellence and reaffirmed the
government’s steadfast resolve to continue investing in such vital institutions, thereby securing a
brighter, more glorious future for Indian sports.
*****
Manish Gautam/Divyanshu Kumar(Release ID: 2143361)