# Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is a branch of the Government of India which administers the Department of Youth Affairs and the Department of Sports in India. Mansukh Mandaviya is the current Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports followed by his Deputy Raksha Khadse
The ministry also gives the annual National Youth Awards, National Sports awards in various categories, including the Arjuna Award and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards.

## History

The ministry was set up as the Department of Sports at the time of organisation of 1982 Asian Games New Delhi. Its name was changed to the Department of Youth Affairs & Sports during celebration of the International Youth Year, 1985. It became a separate Ministry on 27 May 2000. Subsequently, In 2008, the ministry has been bifurcated into Department of Youth Affairs and Department of Sports under two separate Secretaries.

## Department of Youth Affairs

Unlike the sports department, many of the functions of the department are related to other ministries, like Ministry of Education, Employment & Training, Health and Family Welfare thus it functions largely as a facilitator for youth building.

### Definition of Youth

The United Nations defines "Youth" as 15–24 years and in the Commonwealth, it is 15–29 years. In order to use a definition more in line with these international standards, the Draft NYP 2012 changes the definition from 13 to 35 years to 16–30 years. The draft NYP 2012 plans to divide the age bracket of 16–30 years into three groups.

### Organisations

* Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghatan
* Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development

### Programmes

* Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram: Merge of schemes (National Youth Corps, Youth Hostels etc.)
* National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD): introduced 2008-09
* National Service Scheme (NSS)
* National Youth Corps
* International Youth Exchange Program
* National Youth Festival
* Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS): a pilot project in 2010–11 to provide funding for infrastructure and improvements
* Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan
* Promotion of Scouting & Guiding: The national headquarters of The Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG), Hindustan scout and guide(HSG) and The scout guide organization (SGO) are recognised by the Government of India as the apex body in the field of Scouting and Guiding in India.
* Youth Hostels

### Awards

* National Young Leaders Awards (NYLA)
* Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award
* National Youth Awards
* National Service Scheme (NSS) Awards
* Awards to Outstanding Youth Clubs (NYKS)

## Department of Sports

The Department of Sports is a division of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under Government of India created on 30 April 2008. They also helped in bringing the FIFA U-17 World cup to India. A huge part of it was played by the advisors to the Sports Ministry - Rahul Rana (Doon School) and Arjun Dewan (The Lawrence School).

### Organisations

* Sports Authority of India
* National Anti Doping Agency (NADA)
* National Dope Testing Laboratory
* National Sports University, Imphal (Manipur)
* Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh)
* Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu)
* Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala (Punjab)

### Sports Control bodies

* Board of Control for Cricket in India

### Awards

* Dronacharya Award
* Arjuna Award
* Dhyan Chand Award
* Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna
* Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar
* Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy

## Cabinet Ministers

* Note:
** MoS, I/C – Minister of State (Independent Charge)
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| Minister of Sports |||||||||||
| 1 | | | Buta Singh (1934–2021) MP for Ropar (MoS, I/C until 29 January 1983) | 2 September 1982 | 31 October 1984 | 2 years, 115 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Indira IV | | Indira Gandhi |
| 1 | | | Buta Singh (1934–2021) MP for Ropar (MoS, I/C until 29 January 1983) | 4 November 1984 | 31 December 1984 | 2 years, 115 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv I | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| 2 | | | Rajiv Gandhi (1944–1991) MP for Amethi (Prime Minister) | 31 December 1984 | 25 September 1985 | 268 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Ministry disestablished during this interval |||||||||||
| Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports |||||||||||
| 3 | | | Uma Bharti (born 1959) MP for Bhopal (MoS, I/C) | 1 March 1999 | 13 October 1999 | 226 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee II | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 4 | | | Ananth Kumar (1959–2018) MP for Bangalore South | 13 October 1999 | 2 February 2000 | 112 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 5 | | | Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (born 1936) Rajya Sabha MP for Punjab | 2 February 2000 | 7 November 2000 | 279 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| (3) | | | Uma Bharti (born 1959) MP for Bhopal | 7 November 2000 | 25 August 2002 | 1 year, 291 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 6 | | | Vikram Verma (born 1944) Rajya Sabha MP for Madhya Pradesh | 26 August 2002 | 22 May 2004 | 1 year, 270 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 7 | | | Sunil Dutt (1929–2005) MP for Mumbai North West | 23 May 2004 | 25 May 2005 (died in office) | 1 year, 2 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 8 | | | Manmohan Singh (born 1932) Rajya Sabha MP for Assam (Prime Minister) | 25 May 2005 | 18 November 2005 | 177 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 9 | | | Oscar Fernandes (1941–2021) Rajya Sabha MP for Karnataka (MoS, I/C) | 18 November 2005 | 29 January 2006 | 72 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 10 | | | Mani Shankar Aiyar (born 1941) MP for Mayiladuthurai | 29 January 2006 | 6 April 2008 | 2 years, 68 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 11 | | | M. S. Gill (1936–2023) Rajya Sabha MP for Punjab (MoS, I/C until 22 May 2009) | 6 April 2008 | 22 May 2009 | 1 year, 46 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 11 | | | M. S. Gill (1936–2023) Rajya Sabha MP for Punjab (MoS, I/C until 22 May 2009) | 28 May 2009 | 19 January 2011 | 1 year, 236 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 12 | | | Ajay Maken (born 1964) MP for New Delhi (MoS, I/C) | 19 January 2011 | 28 October 2012 | 1 year, 283 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 13 | | | Jitendra Singh (born 1971) MP for Alwar (MoS, I/C) | 28 October 2012 | 26 May 2014 | 1 year, 180 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| Minister of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, Youth Affairs and Sports |||||||||||
| 14 | | | Sarbananda Sonowal (born 1962) MP for Lakhimpur (MoS, I/C) | 27 May 2014 | 9 November 2014 | 166 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports |||||||||||
| (14) | | | Sarbananda Sonowal (born 1962) MP for Lakhimpur (MoS, I/C) | 9 November 2014 | 23 May 2016 | 1 year, 196 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 15 | | | Jitendra Singh (born 1956) MP for Udhampur (MoS, I/C) | 23 May 2016 | 5 July 2016 | 43 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 16 | | | Vijay Goel (born 1954) Rajya Sabha MP for Rajasthan (MoS, I/C) | 5 July 2016 | 3 September 2017 | 1 year, 60 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 17 | | | Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore AVSM (born 1970) MP for Jaipur Rural (MoS, I/C) | 3 September 2017 | 30 May 2019 | 1 year, 269 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| 18 | | | Kiren Rijiju (born 1971) MP for Arunachal West (MoS, I/C) | 31 May 2019 | 7 July 2021 | 2 years, 37 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 20 | | | Anurag Singh Thakur (born 1974) MP for Hamirpur | 7 July 2021 | 9 June 2024 | 2 years, 338 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 21 | | | Mansukh Mandaviya (born 1972) MP for Porbandar | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 260 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | | Narendra Modi |
* ↑ The ministry's competences were transferred to the Ministry of Human Resource Development in September 1985.

## Ministers of State

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| Minister of State for Sports |||||||||||
| 1 | | | Rajkumar Jaichandra Singh (born 1942) Rajya Sabha MP for Manipur | 31 December 1984 | 25 September 1985 | 268 days | Indian National Congress (I) | Rajiv II | | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports |||||||||||
| 2 | | | Thounaojam Chaoba Singh (born 1937) MP for Inner Manipur | 13 October 1999 | 27 May 2000 | 227 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 3 | | | Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (born 1968) MP for Kishanganj | 27 May 2000 | 30 September 2000 | 126 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 4 | | | Pon Radhakrishnan (born 1952) MP for Kanniyakumari | 30 September 2000 | 29 January 2003 | 2 years, 121 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 5 | | | Vijay Goel (born 1954) MP for Chandni Chowk | 24 May 2003 | 22 May 2004 | 364 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Vajpayee III | | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| 6 | | | Arun Subhashchandra Yadav (born 1974) MP for Khandwa | 28 May 2009 | 14 June 2009 | 17 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 7 | | | Pratik Prakashbapu Patil (born 1973) MP for Sangli | 14 June 2009 | 19 January 2011 | 1 year, 219 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 8 | | | Nisith Pramanik (born 1986) MP for Cooch Behar | 7 July 2021 | 9 June 2024 | 2 years, 338 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi II | | Narendra Modi |
| 9 | | | Raksha Khadse (born 1987) MP for Raver | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | 260 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi III | | Narendra Modi |