Event Coverage
FICCI Sports Committee to pitch for raise in sports budget allocation to FM
NEW DELHI: Sports infrastructure is to get industry status in a bid to scale up the availability and accessibility of sporting facilities in the country.
Making this announcement, Sports Secretary Rajiv Yadav from the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry said there was a dire need to increase the budgetary support to the Sports Ministry to enable it to enhance the allocation of funds to upgrade up sports development in the country, especially in small towns and district level towns.
“The Union Government’s budget for sports was a measly Rs 835 crore,” he said.
The move to give industry status has been hailed by the sporting community and administrators as it will enable corporates to avail of concessional finance for creation of sports infrastructure on a par with international standards.
Addressing Turf 2015-16, the seventh edition Global Sports Summit organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) with the support of the Ministry, Yadav urged the FICCI Sports Committee to make a strong pitch to the Finance Minister to raise the allocation for sports in the ensuing budget.
Yadav said that planning for sports required enlargement of the catchment area for spotting and grooming talent. In this context, he said that his ministry was inspired by the sports ‘khel mahakumbh’ organised annually by Gujarat. It had therefore decided to scale up the National School Games beginning from the fiscal year 2016-17.
Former cricket captain Kapil Dev pointed out that the onus of providing playgrounds in schools rested with the Government and recommended at least 40 per cent of the land for schools should be earmarked for playgrounds. He also underlined to need to reduce customs duties on sporting equipment to enable import and provide top quality sporting gear to sports persons.
FICCI Sports Committee chairman and Star India president and head – sports Nitin Kukreja said there is a need to first recognise the importance of sport for the country, then nurture the economic opportunity that the various leagues and events have thrown up, and get India to play by providing access to facilities already available and by making sport a compulsory part of school curriculum – and match all of this with an ambition.
FICCI DG Dr. Arbind Prasad said that for making India a sporting nation, there is a need for parallel sports both for excellence and grassroots development. FICCI, he said has been proactive in suggesting policy formulation and was working closely with the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India on policy interventions to achieve sports objectives. “We should compare the sports budget of our country with other countries which are leading in sports and give financial security to sports persons to bring about a visible change,” he said.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
