The Government of India’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme TOPS has become the backbone of elite sports funding in the country. In the financial year 2024–25, a total of ₹149.92 crore was spent across 12 Sports, with badminton and shooting leading the table.
This allocation reflects India’s ambition to expand its global sporting presence, strengthen Olympic medal prospects, and develop depth across traditional and emerging sports. But how effectively did these funds translate into performance?
Between August 2024 and August 2025, Indian athletes competed in the Paris Olympics, World Championships, Asian-level events, and multiple professional circuits. A review of their results provides insight into the return on investment from the TOPS program.
Badminton – ₹23.69 crore
Badminton received the highest allocation under TOPS, a reflection of India’s strong tradition in the sport and the consistent global presence of stars like PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, and the world-class men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
Key Performances (2024–25):
- At the Thailand Open 2024, Satwik-Chirag clinched the men’s doubles title without dropping a game.
- The pair continued their strong run into 2025, cementing their place among the world’s top two teams.
- Ahead of the BWF World Championships 2025 (Paris), India’s entries highlighted the depth: Sindhu, Lakshya, Prannoy, and the rising mixed doubles team of Dhruv Kapila–Tanisha Crasto.
Analysis: With nearly ₹24 crore spent, the investment reflects India’s ambition to win medals in doubles and maintain a steady presence in singles. The depth in women’s singles, however, remains thin beyond Sindhu, suggesting a need to expand funding to upcoming talent.
Shooting – ₹23.45 crore
Close behind badminton, shooting remains India’s most reliable Olympic sport. The investment is justified given India’s breadth of talent across pistol, rifle, and shotgun disciplines.
Key Performances:
- Paris 2024 Olympics: Three bronzes Manu Bhaker (women’s 10m air pistol), Swapnil Kusale (men’s 50m rifle 3P), and Manu–Sarabjot (10m mixed team).
- ISSF World Cup Lima 2025: Two golds, four silvers, and one bronze, including Suruchi Singh’s gold in women’s air pistol.
- ISSF Munich 2025: Four medals (two gold, two bronze), with Arjun Babuta–Arya Borse winning mixed team rifle gold.
- Asian Shooting Championship 2025: Ongoing in Shymkent, with Manu Bhaker again leading India’s charge.
Analysis: Shooting’s consistency justifies its funding share. The challenge ahead is converting podium finishes at World Cups into Olympic gold medals, where India has often fallen short.
Hockey – ₹22.52 crore
Hockey’s historical importance ensures it remains one of India’s most heavily funded sports.
Key Performances:
- Paris 2024 Olympics: The men’s team won bronze, defeating Australia 3–2, ending a 52-year wait for an Olympic win over the Kookaburras.
- FIH Pro League 2024–25: Men finished 8th, women finished 9th and were relegated to the Nations Cup.
Analysis: The bronze in Paris reinforced hockey’s cultural significance. However, the women’s decline is concerning, and future allocations may need to balance the growth of both teams.
Athletics – ₹21.56 crore
Athletics, long seen as India’s Achilles heel, is now a funding priority thanks to Neeraj Chopra’s javelin revolution.
Key Performances:
- Paris 2024 Olympics: Neeraj won silver, continuing his Olympic streak.
- Asian Athletics Championships 2025: India’s best-ever campaign — Gulveer Singh (double gold in 5000m, 10000m), Jyothi Yarraji defended her 100m hurdles crown, Avinash Sable ended a 36-year wait for men’s steeplechase gold, and the mixed relay team defended their title.
- Diamond League 2025: Neeraj threw 90.23m in Doha (NR, silver), won Paris DL with 88.16m, and clinched back-to-back victories at Ostrava and the NC Classic.
- Domestic circuit: Sarvesh Kushare excelled in high jump; Deepika set a new U20 javelin record at the Indian Open.
Analysis: The ₹21.56 crore allocation has translated into results across multiple track and field events. For the first time, India’s medal hopes extend beyond javelin.
Wrestling – ₹13.79 crore
Despite recent administrative controversies, wrestling continues to deliver medals.
Key Performances:
- Asian Wrestling Championships 2025 (Amman): India won 1 gold, 3 silver, 6 bronze.
- U23 & U17 Asian Championships 2025 (Vietnam): 35 medals, including 18 gold; India topped team standings in both men’s freestyle and women’s wrestling.
- U20 World Championships 2025: Sumit Malik won silver in 57kg freestyle.
Analysis: The sport’s depth at junior levels is evident, but governance issues could undermine future progress if not addressed.
Boxing – ₹12.95 crore
Boxing continues to secure strong international results, particularly in women’s categories.
Key Performances:
- World Boxing Cup 2025 (Kazakhstan): 11 medals , 3 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze. Winners included Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sakshi (54kg), and Nupur (80+kg).
- Asian U19 & U22 Championships 2025 (Bangkok): 27 medals across both age groups. Ritika won gold in the 80+kg U22 category.
Analysis: The budget allocation is validated by a consistent medal stream, though a breakthrough at the Olympics remains elusive.
Table Tennis – ₹10.04 crore
With a growing global footprint, table tennis has benefited from enhanced funding.
Key Performances:
- WTT Contender Lagos 2025: Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Akash Pal won men’s doubles gold; Sreeja Akula won women’s singles silver.
- WTT Contender Tunis 2025: Manush Shah–Diya Chitale won mixed doubles, only India’s second title at this level.
Analysis: India’s table tennis program is building momentum in doubles and mixed events, with Sreeja Akula leading in singles. The focus should be on sustained top-20 rankings.
Archery – ₹9.27 crore
Archery continues to be one of India’s most promising medal sports.
Key Performances:
- World Cup Shanghai 2025: Madhura Dhamangaonkar won compound individual gold; men’s compound team also won gold.
- World Cup Auburndale 2025 (USA): Four medals, including Rishabh Yadav–Jyothi Surekha Vennam’s mixed team gold.
Analysis: With a medal-rich year, especially in compound, India must now focus on converting performances into Olympic success in recurve archery, where results remain inconsistent.
Weightlifting – ₹6.50 crore
Weightlifting remains a steady performer at the youth level.
Key Performances:
- Asian Youth & Junior Championships 2024 (Doha): Multiple medals, including gold for Sairaj Pardeshi.
- IWF Youth Worlds 2025 (Peru): Parv Choudhary won silver and bronze; Bedabrat Bharali claimed gold.
- Asian Senior Championships 2025 (China): Modest results, with Seram Nirupama Devi 4th in 64kg.
Analysis: Youth-level results are encouraging, but the transition to senior-level podiums remains India’s challenge.
Squash – ₹2.52 crore
Indian squash is riding on youthful promise.
Key Performances:
- PSA Tour (2024–25): Anahat Singh won multiple titles, including in Sri Lanka and Kolkata; Abhay Singh claimed his 10th PSA crown.
- NSW Open 2025 (Australia): Anahat Singh reached the final, first Indian woman to do so at a PSA Copper event.
Analysis: Squash remains outside the Olympic program, but India’s investment is grooming talent that could dominate the PSA Tour.
Rowing – ₹2.37 crore
Rowing received modest funding, reflecting its limited but growing profile.
Key Performances:
- Paris 2024 Olympics: Balraj Panwar placed 23rd in men’s single sculls.
- Asian Indoor Rowing 2024 (Malaysia): Indian participation remained limited.
Analysis: While international impact is low, funding ensures continuity for potential breakthroughs in Asian-level competitions.
Swimming – ₹1.26 crore
The smallest allocation went to swimming, though India is set to host a major event in 2025.
Key Performances:
- Senior Nationals 2024 (Mangaluru): Aneesh Gowda (5 golds) and Hashika Ramachandra (4 golds, 1 national record) stood out.
- Senior Nationals 2025 (Bhubaneswar): New national relay and freestyle records.
- World Aquatics Championships 2025 (Singapore): 19 Indian competitors, no medals.
- Asian Swimming Championships 2025 (Ahmedabad): India to host for the first time, a key milestone.
Analysis: With minimal returns at the world level, swimming remains a long-term project. Hosting the Asian Championships could provide a turning point.
The ₹149.92 crore spent through TOPS in FY 2024–25 reflects a clear strategy: maximize medal returns in proven sports (badminton, shooting, hockey, athletics, wrestling, boxing) while nurturing potential in emerging ones (table tennis, archery, squash, swimming).
The past year has shown steady progress, with Olympic and Asian medals reinforcing India’s status, while grassroots-to-elite pathways remain critical for sustained success. With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon and the 2036 Olympic bid shaping policy, TOPS will remain the engine of India’s sporting ambitions.
Data Credit Gaurav
