Sport Authority of India was established in the year :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (3):
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) was officially established in the year **1984**. It was set up by the Government of India, registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and functions under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. This key action was a direct consequence of India successfully hosting the 1982 Asian Games, where the need for a dedicated, powerful, apex national body to manage, maintain, and utilise the sports infrastructure was clearly identified. SAI's mandate is to promote sports in India, nurture talent from the grassroots level, and ensure that the country performs well in international competitions. Therefore, 1984 is the foundational year for the organization central to all major sports development policies in India.

The incorrect option is (1):
The year 1965 is incorrect because it relates to an earlier stage of sports institutionalization in India, not the establishment of SAI itself. The foundational Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) was actually established in **1961** in Patiala to focus on coaching and academic development in sports. While this institution is a critical part of India's sports history and was later merged into SAI in 1987, it is a separate entity. Selecting 1965 indicates a confusion between the apex national body, which is SAI, and its precursor or merged institutes, which existed earlier. SAI was conceived with a much broader administrative and developmental mandate than the institutions operating in 1965.

The incorrect option is (2):
The year 1980 is chronologically close to the correct answer, but it precedes the formal establishment of the Sports Authority of India. The genesis of SAI lies in the organizing committee formed for the **1982 Asian Games** in New Delhi. That committee's work and the successful execution of the games demonstrated the capacity and need for a permanent, dedicated sports authority. However, the legal and formal setting up of SAI as an autonomous society—the ultimate establishment—took place only after the games concluded and the official resolution was passed. Therefore, 1980 places the event too early, before the critical impetus provided by the 1982 Asian Games.

The incorrect option is (4):
The year 1990 is incorrect because, by this time, the Sports Authority of India was already a well-established and operational entity. The entire decade of the 1980s marked the foundational and initial expansion phase of SAI. By 1990, SAI was actively involved in implementing its core schemes, managing regional centers, and running its training programs across the country. Key events like the merger with the Society for National Institute of Physical Education and Sports (SNIPES) had already occurred by 1987. Therefore, 1990 is a date associated with the established body's execution of its mandate, not the year of its formation.