Archive · 18 Aug 2026
India late for 2036 Olympics 30-40 medal goal, says Sodhi
India wants to host the Olympic Games in 2036.
It also hopes to win 30 to 40 medals at those Games.
A famous Indian shooter named Ronjan Sodhi says that goal is very hard to reach.
India has never won more than nine medals at one Olympics.
Its best result was at the Tokyo 2020 Games, where it won seven medals.
Sodhi says India is already late in finding and training young athletes.
He says there are not enough shooting ranges or guns for beginners.
He also says India needs better coaches, equipment, and job security for athletes.
Sodhi suggests focusing on sports where many medals are available, like shooting and cycling.
He believes India must start building this sports culture now to do well.
Former Asian Games gold medallist Ronjan Sodhi says India's target of 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics is a distant prospect.
India has never won double-digit medals at a single Olympics, with its best tally of seven medals, including one gold, at Tokyo 2020.
Sodhi says India is already behind schedule in talent identification and scouting, noting athletes for 2036 should currently be in classes 6-7.
He called for major overhauls in infrastructure, equipment, coaching, and job security for sportspersons, flagging the scarcity of accessible shooting ranges in India.
Sodhi urged focusing on medal-rich sports and cited England's cycling focus before the 2012 London Olympics as a prime example.
He stressed that India must win gold medals, not just increase its overall tally, to improve its Olympic ranking.
- Who
- Ronjan Sodhi, former Asian Games gold medallist and double-trap marksman, in an interview with PTI
- What
- Said India's goal of winning 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics is a distant prospect due to lags in infrastructure, talent scouting, coaching, and equipment
- When
- Tuesday, in comments to PTI after India's seven-medal tally at Tokyo 2020
- Where
- India, with specific focus on shooting infrastructure in Delhi-NCR such as the Karni Singh Range
- Why
- India needs to build a grassroots sports culture and identify young talent now to succeed at the 2036 Games it is strongly bidding to host
- India's best Olympic tally
- 7 medals (1 gold) at Tokyo 2020
- 2036 medal target
- 30-40 medals
- 2036 Olympics hosting
- India is strongly bidding for hosting rights
- Olympic medals per sport (as cited)
- Shooting 15, Cycling 22, Wrestling 18, Boxing 13
- Key venue cited
- Karni Singh Range in Delhi-NCR
- Sodhi's honours
- Khel Ratna Awardee, Arjuna Awardee, back-to-back World Cup Final golds
- Photo subject
- Manu Bhaker, two bronze medals at Paris 2024