SportsPosted at: Oct 17 2026 9:44PM


India can produce world-beating golfers in a decade, says Amitabh Kant

New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) India’s demographic advantage could help the country produce world-class golfers over the next decade, but making the sport accessible beyond traditional centres and investing in grassroots talent will be crucial to turning that ambition into reality, DP World PGTI Board Member Amitabh Kant said on Saturday.
Drawing a parallel with India’s rise in world cricket, Kant said the country was entering an exciting phase in golf, with the DP World India Championship offering young players an opportunity to witness international stars and draw inspiration from their performances.
“India has established itself in world cricket, and we are now beginning a similar journey in golf. Golf is entering an exciting phase in the country. This is a rare opportunity,” he said at a media interaction on the sidelines of the championship at Delhi Golf Club.
“Our demographics are in our favour, and I believe the next decade can produce Indian golfers who will compete and win on the world stage,” he added.
Kant, a former CEO of NITI Aayog and India's G20 Sherpa, stressed that golf’s future in India depended on breaking its perception as an elitist sport and widening access to training and facilities in tier-two and tier-three cities.
“Golf has often been seen as an elitist sport, but that perception is changing. Tier-two and tier-three cities can produce some of our best golfers,” he said.
Pointing to the response from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, he cited the Chhattisgarh government's efforts to promote golf and develop facilities for young players. Greater opportunities for children from tribal communities, he said, could help unlock talent that had remained outside the sport’s traditional recruitment base.
“If young boys and girls from tribal communities get those opportunities, there is no reason they cannot become exceptional golfers. Over the next 10 years, we want to see the game flourish across India and our players win global tournaments,” Kant said.
He also urged large enterprises to follow DP World’s example in supporting golf and proposed that 25 per cent of college and university admissions be based on sporting merit. Transparent criteria, including representation at the state level, could help athletes pursue higher education without abandoning their sporting ambitions, he said.
Beyond producing international champions, India should also seek to turn its golf courses into an attraction for overseas visitors, Atul Chaturvedi, Member of the National Company Law Tribunal and a former union government secretary, said.
India had quality golf courses and supporting infrastructure, but needed stronger branding to establish itself as a competitive international destination, he said.
“India offers exceptional value as a golfing destination, both in terms of its courses and the cost of playing. Just as India has developed as a destination for health tourism, there is an opportunity to build golf tourism,” Chaturvedi said.
DP World PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl said the tour was working to strengthen the international exposure and competitive opportunities available to Indian professionals.
The initiatives include inviting players from the Sunshine, Korean, Thai and Japan Tours, expanding co-sanctioned tournaments with the Asian Tour and HotelPlanner Tour, and funding Indian golfers to compete at overseas qualifying schools.
Johl said Indian golf needed a defining breakthrough comparable to the impact of the country's 1983 Cricket World Cup triumph, which transformed perceptions of what Indian sport could achieve.
“The 1983 cricket World Cup changed what India believed it could achieve. We are working towards a similar moment in golf. It could happen at the DP World India Championship, the Indian Open or somewhere else. We cannot predict it, but we can keep creating opportunities,” he said.
Emphasising that sporting success required sustained investment rather than quick results, Johl said building a sporting culture could take decades. Strong institutional support, corporate backing and international partnerships would be essential to creating a pipeline of Indian golfers capable of competing at the highest level.
The message from the interaction was clear: India's young population offers a potential talent pool, but wider access, sustained grassroots development and international exposure will determine whether that potential translates into global golf success.
UNI BDN
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