Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on Thursday launched the issuance of sports certificates through DigiLocker, marking a major step towards digital empowerment of athletes. The launch event was held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.
Earlier in the day, the Minister also inaugurated the National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) at the same venue, which is poised to become a hub for high-level research and innovation aimed at improving elite athlete performance.
Highlighting the government’s athlete-first approach, Dr. Mandaviya said, “Every initiative under the Modi Government is centered around the welfare of sportspersons.” He cited the Draft National Sports Governance Bill 2024, the Draft National Sports Policy 2024, and the Draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) 2025 as recent examples of efforts to bring transparency and good governance in Indian sports.
The DigiLocker-based certificate issuance will soon be integrated with the National Sports Repository System (NSRS), enabling automatic disbursal of cash rewards directly into athletes’ bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). “When the world has witnessed an athlete win a medal, they shouldn’t have to apply for their reward. This system ensures they receive what they deserve without delay or paperwork,” he added.
Dr. Mandaviya also shared key highlights of India’s future sporting ambitions, including a bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games and the 2030 Commonwealth Games. He urged National Sports Federations (NSFs) to ensure athlete welfare and emphasized the need for collective responsibility between federations, athletes, and the government to create a robust sporting ecosystem.
As part of this effort, he announced that office space at IG Stadium would be made available to interested NSFs. He also revealed plans for a ‘One Sport–One Corporate’ policy to enhance private sector support for Indian sports and proposed Olympic training centres for priority disciplines under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
On the newly inaugurated NCSSR, Dr. Mandaviya stated that the facility would play a vital role in fulfilling India’s long-term sporting vision under “Viksit Bharat by 2047.”
Olympic silver medallist and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardee Mirabai Chanu praised the DigiLocker initiative, calling it a “stress-reliever” for athletes. “Often, we don’t carry all documents with us while traveling for competitions. With certificates available digitally, it’ll save us time and trouble. I thank the Minister on behalf of all athletes,” she said.
