Rising Together: How India plans to pitch its 2036 Olympics hosting bid

India has unveiled Rising Together as the vision for its proposed 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid centred on Ahmedabad. The pitch frames sport as a driver of participation, youth opportunity and wider national development.The IOA has presented its pitch for the bid for Olympics 2026 (Courtesy: Getty)New Delhi,Oct 7, 2026 13:16 ISTIndia has unveiled "Rising Together" as the vision for its proposed bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) positioning sport as a catalyst for wider social and sporting development.The vision, centred on Ahmedabad in Gujarat, was unveiled on Wednesday, a day after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed India as one of seven countries currently in Continuous Dialogue over hosting the 2036 Games.Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkiye are the seven Interested Parties in the process, the IOC said on Tuesday.India submitted its Expression of Interest to host the Games in 2024. Its proposal has since been developed through engagement with the IOC over the past 18 months. The next step will be India's presentation to the IOC's Future Host Commission. The IOA said it expected to present its ambition for the first time at the end of October.The IOA's "Rising Together" vision is built around the idea of using the Games to increase participation in sport in India while also offering the Olympic Movement access to new audiences and communities. P T Usha, president of the IOA, said the vision was intended to bring together India's "energy, ambition and diversity" behind the Olympic project."For us, 'Rising Together' is not simply a slogan - it is a powerful commitment to unite India's energy, ambition and diversity behind a shared Olympic dream," Usha said.She added that India wanted to stage a Games that reflected the country's young population while helping the Olympic and Paralympic movements reach new generations."If we rise together - with our athletes, our people, our cities and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements - the possibilities are limitless," Usha said.The Indian proposal also places emphasis on the potential domestic impact of hosting the Games. The IOA said the project was designed to encourage young people to move from watching sport to participating in it, while creating opportunities linked to education and employment.SPORT CAN HELP SHAPE INDIA'S FUTURE: MANDAVIYAUnion Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said India's proposal was based on the role sport could play in the country's development."India's ambition for 2036 is rooted in a simple idea: that sport can help shape the future of our nation," Mandaviya said."Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games would inspire millions of young Indians to participate in sport, strengthen healthier and more active communities, and create new opportunities for our youth across education, employment and social development."The proposal also makes a case for India from the Olympic Movement's perspective. The IOA said hosting the Games would connect the movement with one of the world's youngest and most digitally connected populations, potentially bringing new athletes, audiences and partners into the Olympic family.The 2036 process was revised after IOC president Kirsty Coventry initiated a "pause and review" following her election last year. The new process is being overseen by the Future Host Commission and includes several stages before the final host is chosen.The IOC said on Tuesday that the seven Interested Parties would be assessed on technical factors including their venue masterplans, athlete experience, funding strategies, political and public support, Games delivery capabilities and legacy plans.The projects will also be assessed for their broader vision and alignment with local development plans and the objectives of the Olympic Movement.The IOC Executive Board is expected to shortlist Interested Parties to move from Continuous Dialogue into Strategic Dialogue by March 2027. Preferred Hosts will then be invited into Targeted Dialogue in December 2028, with IOC members expected to elect the 2036 host in mid-2029.- Ends