National Dope Testing Laboratory gets an Extramural Research Grant Policy at the anti-doping scientists' meeting

3 November 2026

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya released the Extramural Research Grant Policy of the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi. The policy is meant to pay for research and development on better ways of detecting and preventing doping, carried out outside the laboratory itself. The launch took place at the 10th Quality Assurance Managers' Meeting of the World Association of Anti-Doping Scientists, a two-day gathering of international sporting and scientific bodies that the laboratory organised and that opened on 2 November. The Minister also released the laboratory's newsletter. He said India keeps a zero tolerance line on doping and stressed athlete education, awareness and testing infrastructure as the country prepares to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and hopes to host the Olympic Games of 2036. He recalled that India finished fourth in the final medal tally of the 2026 Asian Games and won a record 114 medals at the 2026 Asian Para Games, and referred to Khelo India, Fit India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. Those present included Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, WAADS President Dorota Kwiatkowska and laboratory Director P L Sahu.