Excellence in sports is closely linked to national pride. We should resolve to make the 21st century India’s century. India should become a world power in economy, education, science and technology, arts and culture and global diplomacy. It also means that India should rank high among the top nations in the Human Development Index, and lowest in the Global Corruption Index. A prerequisite for any nation to perform well in international sports is for that nation to first make sports a mass activity. India must launch a national mission to provide opportunities and facilities for sports to its entire population. Unless the bottom of India’s sports pyramid becomes broad and strong, it cannot send adequate number of sportspersons to higher levels of that pyramid who can compete successfully at international levels. In other words, expansion at the bottom is absolutely essential to achieve excellence at the top. This calls for creation of sports facilities on a massive scale. Our housing, habitat and urban planning policies must have an in-built and mandatory provision for creating open spaces, playgrounds and sports amenities for all.