Thiruvananthapuram, April 1 (IANS): Union Minister and NDA candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday visited Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) here and expressed his aspirations to propel Thiruvananthapuram as a "focal point" for the 2036 Olympics readiness.

Kerala will go to the polls on April 26th to elect 20 Lok Sabha members and Union Minister Chandrasekhar is pitted against Congress sitting MP Shashi Tharoor and CPI candidate Panniyan Ravindran.

During his visit to LNCPE, the Union Minister also expressed his aspirations to harness the potential of the institution, aiming to elevate Thiruvananthapuram as a "premier destination" for sports excellence and innovation.

Emphasizing the importance of nurturing talent and fostering a culture of sportsmanship, he outlined his ambitious plans to propel India's sports sector onto the global stage.

"LNCPE stands as a beacon of sports excellence, and it is our collective endeavor to utilize its resources to propel Thiruvananthapuram as a focal point for the 2036 Olympics readiness," said Union Minister Chandrasekhar.

He lauded the efforts of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in training and skilling athletes and coaches, while also emphasizing the need to focus on advancing the science of sports through technology and analytics.

"Our aim is to transform Thiruvananthapuram into a centre for the science of sports, leveraging technology and analytics to enhance sports productivity," he added.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced last year that the government is striving to host the 2036 Olympic Games.