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Olympics: Nita Ambani Spearheads India’s 2036 Olympic Hosting Hopes

by Devesh Jaganath

image Olympics: Nita Ambani Spearheads India’s 2036 Olympic Hosting Hopes
India have submitted a ‘Letter of Intent’ to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), declaring their interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics, and the driving force behind their ambition is none other than Nita Ambani, who was unanimously re-elected as an IOC member in July last year.

Ambani Hoping to Make the Dream of 1.4 Billion Indians Come True

India confirmed their interest in hosting both the Paralympic and Summer Olympic Games in 2036 on October 1, 2024, when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officially handed in their Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission. 

The idea of India hosting the Olympics began gaining traction at the Games in Paris last year, where Nita Ambani, wife of IPL franchise-owner the Mumbai Indians, Mukesh Ambani, set up the India House, which is the first of its kind and was designed to show off the nation’s rich heritage and Olympic goals. 

Speaking at the 2024 Olympics, Ambani said: 

"The opening of India House represents a dream shared by 1.4 billion Indians - a dream to bring the Olympics to our ancient land. It is a home away from home for our athletes, a place where we honour them, salute their spirit, and celebrate their achievements."

Since then, there have been several positive signs in India’s hopes of being awarded hosting rights for the Olympic Games, including Ambani’s re-election to the IOC, as well as confirmation from Sebastian Coe, a candidate for presidency of the IOC, that the nation “stands a good chance.”

Alongside India, several other countries, including but not limited to Egypt, Mexico, Turkey, Hungary, Qatar, Poland and South Africa, have tossed their hats into the race to host the 2036 Olympics. The final decision on hosting rights for the 2036 event will only be made in 2026. 

Check out our list of the best online betting sites for the Olympics. 

Commonwealth Games 2030: A Dress Rehearsal For India’s Olympic Bid

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In an attempt to bolster their chances of being awarded hosting rights for the 2036 Olympics, India is also bidding to bring the 2030 Commonwealth Games to their homeland. It is believed that if they are able to prove their ability to stage this competition successfully, it will prove their readiness for the Games six years later.  

While India have never hosted the Olympics in the past, they did stage the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010 and despite murmurs of mismanagement and corruption in the lead-up to the event, it still went on without a hitch and was largely considered a major success. 

The major hurdle for Ambani and India as a whole to secure the 2036 Olympics is the cost associated with preparing the infrastructure. It is understood that the estimated cost of the event is in the region of $7.5 billion, which is 50% more than Los Angeles is projected to have to invest in the 2028 Olympics. 

Should India prevail in their 2036 Olympics hosting dream, the Games are expected to feature across six cities, including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Goa, Mumbai and Pune. 

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