Ahmedabad Sets Strategic Vision for 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympic Aspirations
Industry leaders convened at the Commonwealth Connect Forum held at Veer Savarkar Stadium in Naranpura, Ahmedabad, on Monday to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the city's hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and its ambitious bid for the 2036 Olympics. The summit emphasized transforming the centenary edition of the CWG into a powerful driver for sustained economic development, rather than merely a temporary sporting spectacle.
Economic Leverage and AI Integration Highlighted
Manoj Ladwa, chairman of the India Global Forum, inaugurated the discussions by underscoring Gujarat's significant economic impact. He noted that while the state accounts for only 5% of India's population, it contributes 8% to the national GDP and 20% to exports. Ladwa advocated for the 2030 Games to serve as a growth lever, predicting they would become the most AI-enabled sporting event of the century. "If 2030 leaves only stadiums, we will have underachieved," Ladwa asserted, highlighting the critical need for investments in human capital development alongside infrastructure.
Sustainability Commitments and Renewable Energy Goals
Ashwini Kumar, Principal Secretary of Energy and Petrochemicals, pledged a commitment to 100% renewable power for the events, with an aim to achieve Net Zero by 2047. He stated that Gujarat is adopting sustainability benchmarks from the Paris 2024 and Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics. Gujarat leads India with 1.2 million rooftop-solar homes, is a power-surplus exporter, and is enhancing reliability by doubling battery system duration from two to four hours.
Lessons from Birmingham 2022 Success
A delegation from the West Midlands, led by Mayor Richard Parker, presented a blueprint based on the triumphs of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Parker revealed that those Games generated £1.2 billion for the UK economy and created 22,000 jobs, demonstrating that regions with gritty industrial roots can deliver world-class events on schedule and within budget. Birmingham also sold over 1.5 million tickets and reinvested £70 million into community projects.
S Prasanth from KPMG's sports advisory team added, "In the Birmingham 2022 Games, 75% was funded by the UK government, and the rest by West Midlands. They generated £1.2 billion." Experts concluded that the success of such events should be measured by legacy assets—enduring infrastructure like transport and digital grids that benefit citizens for decades post-event.
Hospitality Expansion and Climate Resilience
Shekhar Patel, National President of Credai, announced plans to expand Ahmedabad's hospitality capacity from 6,000 five-star hotel rooms to 40,000 within five years. "There is an urgent need for a robust service industry. We will also be attracting more people from the US," he noted.
Sustainability emerged as a non-negotiable pillar for the Ahmedabad games. AMC Chief Banchha Nidhi Pani emphasized that 84% of Ahmedabad's current city budget is already allocated to climate resiliency, underscoring the city's dedication to environmental stewardship in preparation for these global sporting events.
