MAINS Current Affairs includes India’s Sports Ecosystem & Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in the Western Ghats

Governance

1. India’s Sports Ecosystem

Context: India’s sporting landscape is undergoing a significant transformation through policy reforms, infrastructure development, grassroots talent identification, increased public and private investment, and improved institutional support. These initiatives aim to transform sports into a mass movement while positioning India as a leading global sporting nation and supporting its ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Evolution of Sports in India

• India has a glorious sporting history and mentions of archery, wrestling (Malla-Yuddha), horse riding, swimming, hunting and chess (Chaturanga) can be found in the ancient texts such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Manasollasa and Mallapurana.
• TheMughal rulers in the medieval period were fond of Chaugan (Polo), Chess, Chaupar (Ludo) and hunting. Wrestling also remained popular.
• The British introducedcricket, football, tennis, golf and other modern sports that led to the development of organised sporting culture.
• Sports also became a symbol of nationalism during the freedom movement, as in the case of Mohun Bagan’s historic football victory against a British regiment.
• After Independence, India achieved several milestones such asOlympic hockey gold in 1948, hosting the first Asian Games in 1951 and growing participation of women in international sports.

India’s Rise on the Global Sporting Stage

Olympic Games: India’s Olympic performance has improved significantly in recent years.

Medal Performance

• Rio Olympics 2016: 2 Medals
• Tokyo Olympics 2020: 7 Medals
• Paris Olympics 2024: 6 Medals

Major Achievements

• Neeraj Chopra became India’s first Olympic Gold Medallist in Athletics at the Tokyo Olympics.
• Mirabai Chanu emerged as one of India’s most consistent Olympic medallists.

The improved medal tally reflects greater investment in athlete development and high-performance training.

Paralympic Games: India’s Paralympic performance has witnessed remarkable growth.

Medal Performance

• Rio Paralympics 2016: 4 Medals
• Tokyo Paralympics 2020: 19 Medals
• Paris Paralympics 2024: 29 Medals (Best-ever performance)

Notable Athletes

• Avani Lekhara
• Sumit Antil
• Pramod Bhagat

Government initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Khelo India Para Games have strengthened support for para-athletes.

Asian Games: India has consistently improved its performance at the Asian Games.

Medal Performance

• Incheon 2014: 57 Medals
• Jakarta 2018: 69 Medals

The country’s growing medal tally reflects stronger athlete preparation and broader participation.

Commonwealth Games

India remains one of the strongest performers at the Commonwealth Games.

Medal Performance

• Glasgow 2014: 64 Medals
• Gold Coast 2018: 66 Medals
• Birmingham 2022: 61 Medals

Sports such as Wrestling, Weightlifting, Table Tennis, Badminton, Athletics have consistently contributed to India’s success.

Notable Athletes

• PV Sindhu
• Vinesh Phogat
• Achinta Sheuli

Commonwealth Games 2026: The Commonwealth Games 2026 are being held in Glasgow (23 July–2 August 2026).

Highlights

• Participation of athletes from 74 countries.
• Competition across 10 sports, including six fully integrated Para Sports.
• India has fielded a contingent of 124 athletes, comprising:
  • 78 men
  • 46 women

Medal Tally (As of 27 July 2026)

• 1 Gold
• 2 Silver
• 1 Bronze

Major Achievements

• Mirabai Chanu won her third consecutive Commonwealth Games Gold Medal.
• Jhandu Kumar won Bronze.
• Rishikanta Singh won Silver.
• Muthupandi Raja won Silver.

Importance of Strong Sports Ecosystem 

• Demographic Dividend & Empowerment: Sport is a positive outlet for India’s large young population and will promote mental well-being, leadership and discipline.
• Economic Engine & Job Creation:Sports generate employment in event management, sports technology, physiotherapy, sports medicine, manufacturing & analytics.
• Soft Power: International sporting excellence is a major soft power tool and is a source of national pride and global diplomatic footprint.
• Public Health Improvement: Promotion of grassroots sports participation for the reduction of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and building a healthier workforce.

Various Initiatives of Government  

• Khelo India Scheme: Launched in 2017 to create a strong foundation for Indian sport
  • It brought together three existing programmes. It merged the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme and National Sports Talent Search Scheme into a unified framework for sports development.
• Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS): Launched in September 2014 to improve India’s performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The scheme was revamped in April 2018 with a dedicated technical support team to provide holistic assistance to athletes.
  • TOPS supports athletes through foreign training, international competitions, coaching camps, specialised equipment and a monthly stipend of ₹50,000.
• Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) initiative: Identifies and nurtures sporting talent among children between 9 and 18 years of age.
• Union Budget 2026–27:Announced a dedicated initiative for sports goods manufacturing with an allocation of ₹500 crore.
• National Sports Governance Act, 2025:Aims to enhance athlete welfare and sports governance by mandating all National Sports Bodies to have a Safe Sports Policy, a Code of Ethics and internal grievance redressal mechanisms.
• Khelo Bharat Niti, 2025:Provides a long term roadmap to transform sports into a mass movement and a viable career in line with Viksit Bharat and India’s ambition to host the Olympics in 2036.
• National Sports Day(29 August): The President of India presents National Sports Awards to honour excellence in sports.
• Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons Scheme: Provides a monthly pension ranging from ₹12,000 to ₹20,000 to retired international medal winners.
• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Programme for Sportspersons: Offers financial aid of up to ₹10 lakh towards medical treatment, sports equipment and participation in competitions.
• National Sports Development Fund (NSDF):Calling for contributions from the private sector, NRIs and philanthropists to supplement government funding for sports infrastructure and athlete development.
• National Centre of Sports Sciences and Research (NCSSR): It was established in 2017 to promote sports science, sports medicine, injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance enhancement through dedicated research and institutional support.

Challenges

1. Infrastructure Gap

• World-class facilities are concentrated in metropolitan cities and elite training centres, while rural and Tier-II/Tier-III regions continue to face inadequate sports infrastructure.

2. Governance Issues

Some National Sports Federations continue to face challenges related to:

• Lack of transparency
• Administrative disputes
• Litigation
• Limited professional management

These issues affect athlete development and programme implementation.

3. Shortage of Skilled Professionals

India continues to face shortages of:

• High-performance coaches
• Sports psychologists
• Biomechanists
• Nutritionists
• Sports scientists

This increases dependence on expensive foreign experts.

4. Social Mindset and Career Security

• Despite changing perceptions, non-cricket sports are still viewed by many families as financially uncertain career options compared to conventional professions.

Way Forward

• India should further strengthen its sports ecosystem by integrating sports into the core academic curriculum under the National Education Policy (NEP) to identify and nurture talent from an early age. Grassroots participation must be expanded through schools, colleges and community sports programmes to build a strong sporting culture across the country.
• Governance reforms are equally essential. National Sports Federations (NSFs) should adopt transparent financial practices, ensure independent athlete representation and appoint professional CEOs to improve accountability and efficiency. Establishing regional sports science centres in collaboration with medical universities can help develop indigenous expertise in physiotherapy, biomechanics, nutrition, sports psychology and performance analysis.
• Greater emphasis should be placed on Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to mobilise private investment, encourage corporate sponsorship and strengthen long-term financial sustainability of sports. Simultaneously, investments in modern infrastructure, sports technology, research, high-performance coaching and talent identification should continue to ensure that athletes receive world-class support.
• A comprehensive, inclusive and professionally managed sports ecosystem will enable India to realise its ambition of becoming a leading global sporting nation and strengthen its preparations for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.

Conclusion

India’s sports ecosystem has witnessed remarkable progress through policy reforms, improved infrastructure, athlete-centric programmes and growing public participation. The country’s rising performances at the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games demonstrate the positive impact of sustained investments in sports development.

However, achieving the vision of making India a global sporting powerhouse requires continued reforms in governance, grassroots development, sports science, infrastructure and private sector participation. A strong, inclusive and sustainable sports ecosystem will not only produce international champions but also contribute to nation-building, economic growth, public health and India’s global soft power.

ENVIRONMENT 

2. Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in the Western Ghats

Context: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the seventh draft notification proposing to notify 56,825.7 sq km of the Western Ghats across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).

• The notification seeks to conserve one of the world’s richest biodiversity regions while balancing environmental protection with sustainable development and local livelihoods.

About the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri Hills, are a mountain chain running parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula.

Geographical Extent

• Stretch for approximately 1,600 km along the western coast of India.
• Spread across six States:
  • Gujarat
  • Maharashtra
  • Goa
  • Karnataka
  • Kerala
  • Tamil Nadu

UNESCO Recognition

The Western Ghats were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their outstanding ecological significance.

They are:

• Older than the Himalayas.
• One of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity recognised by UNESCO.
• Among the 36 global Biodiversity Hotspots.

Biodiversity Hotspots in India

India has four globally recognised biodiversity hotspots:

• Himalayas
• Indo-Burma
• Western Ghats
• Sundaland (Nicobar Islands)

Ecological Significance of Western Ghats

• The Western Ghats, also known as theShayadari hills, hold immense ecological and biodiversity value, making them one of the most critical natural assets of India and the World.
• The region has outstanding universal value due to its exceptional biodiversity, endemism, and its role in maintaining vital ecological and climatic processes.
• They serve as a crucial climatic regulator for peninsular India. Acting as a barrier to the South-West monsoon, the range supports lush forests and numerous rivers that sustain millions of people.
• They are also home to diverse ecosystems, including tropical evergreen forests, grasslands, Myristica swamps, and the distinctive shola forest. These ecosystems harbour a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic.
• They are the habitat for several threatened species, such as the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, and tiger.
• They are thesource of several major rivers such as Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery, Mandovi, Periyar, and Sharavathi, giving it the tag of the water tower of peninsular India.

Major Threats to the Western Ghats

• Large dams, roads and railway expansion fragment habitats, change river ecosystems and threaten biodiversity.
• Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and shifting habitats are disrupting ecosystems and forcing many species into higher altitudes.
• As tourism increases there is more waste, disturbance to wildlife and more conflict between people and animals.
• Non-native plants like eucalyptus and acacia can displace native vegetation, resulting in a decrease in biodiversity and affecting forest regeneration.
• Natural habitats are degraded by plantations, agriculture, logging, encroachment and waste disposal.

Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) for Western Ghats

• The ESA is buffer areas demarcated around protected areas to minimise the negative impact of anthropogenic activities such as mining, hydropower projects, etc.
• Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra are the states where the areas to be demarcated are almost agreed upon.
• Tamil Nadu, the sixth affected state, does not have any major divergences on this issue.
• Activities:
  • Prohibited: Mining, polluting industries, major hydropower projects, hazardous substances, and waste disposal.
  • Regulated: Tree felling, hotels, road widening, groundwater use, night traffic, and introduction of exotic species.
  • Permitted: Traditional agriculture and horticulture, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, renewable energy, and green technologies.

Recommendations of Various Committees

Madhav Gadgil Committee (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel – WGEEP)

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), headed by Prof. Madhav Gadgil, was constituted in 2010.

Major Recommendations

• Entire 129,037 sq km of the Western Ghats should be declared an Ecologically Sensitive Area.
• Divide the region into different ecological zones with varying levels of protection.
• Strong restrictions on mining, polluting industries and large infrastructure projects.
• Promote decentralised governance with greater participation of local communities.

The report adopted a conservation-first approach.

Kasturirangan Committee (High-Level Working Group)

Following opposition from several States, the Government constituted a High-Level Working Group (HLWG) under Dr. K. Kasturirangan in 2012.

Major Recommendations

• Declare approximately 60,000 sq km as Ecologically Sensitive Area.
• Differentiate between:
  • Natural Landscapes, requiring stronger protection.
  • Cultural Landscapes, including settlements, plantations and agriculture, where development may continue.

The committee recommended a more balanced approach that sought to reconcile conservation with developmental needs.

The first draft notification based on these recommendations was issued in March 2014.

Criticism of States 

• The ESA proposal has faced resistance from state governments, local communities, plantation ownersand political groups who fear restrictions on development, construction, infrastructure projects and livelihoods.
• Keralawants the ESA area reduced from 9,993.7 sq km to 8,805 sq km by excluding 31 villages (mainly in Idukki and Wayanad). The Centre’s expert committee has not accepted the request.
• Karnatakacontinues to oppose the current ESA proposal and has questioned the implementation of the Kasturirangan recommendations. The Centre has asked the state to suggest an alternative conservation framework.
• Goaseeks to exclude 21 villages in Sattari taluka from the proposed ESA list.

Way Forward

• The successful implementation of the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) framework requires a balanced approach that integrates scientific conservation with sustainable development. Continuous stakeholder consultations involving State Governments, local communities, farmers, plantation owners and civil society organisations are essential to build consensus and address livelihood concerns.
• Modern technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing and satellite-based monitoring should be extensively used for accurate mapping, monitoring land-use changes and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. Greater transparency regarding permitted, regulated and prohibited activities can help reduce public apprehensions and improve implementation.
• Community participation should be strengthened through decentralised governance, local biodiversity management committees and sustainable livelihood initiatives, including eco-tourism, organic farming and nature-based enterprises. Simultaneously, governments should provide adequate financial and technical support to communities affected by conservation measures.
• A science-based, participatory and adaptive management framework will be crucial for conserving the Western Ghats while ensuring ecological security, water security, climate resilience and sustainable development for future generations.

Conclusion

The Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) initiative for the Western Ghats represents a significant effort to conserve one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots while balancing environmental protection with developmental aspirations. The Western Ghats are indispensable for India’s biodiversity, water security, climate regulation and ecological stability.

A collaborative approach based on scientific evidence, cooperative federalism, stakeholder participation and sustainable development principles is essential for the long-term conservation of this ecologically fragile region. Protecting the Western Ghats today is critical for ensuring India’s environmental security and resilience against the challenges of climate change and ecological degradation.

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