India, March 11 -- India has seen what focused, target-oriented structures can deliver.

For years, many Indian athletes carried an invisible ceiling: Just qualifying for the Olympics felt like the finish line. Then Abhinav Bindra won an individual Olympic gold-and it rewired belief. The ceiling cracked. Thousands of young athletes could now say, honestly: If he can do it, why not me? Over time, that Bindra effect helped turn participation into medal expectation.

That shift was reinforced by a sharper policy approach. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014, is a high-performance programme (not a mass scheme) that identifies medal prospects and supports them with what matters at the sharp end-coaching and high-performan...