Asaram Bapu’s Ashram land to be used for India’s 2036 Olympics infrastructure: Report

The Gujarat government is preparing to secure approximately 650 acres of land near the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to support India’s bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. This expansive project involves acquiring the ashram of Asaram Bapu, a convicted criminal, along with other properties like the Bhartiya Seva Samaj and Sadashiv Pragya Mandal ashrams, according to a Times of India report. The goal is to develop the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, an Olympic Village, and additional sports facilities, strengthening Ahmedabad’s case to host the prestigious international event.

Asaram Bapu, once a self-proclaimed spiritual leader with a sprawling network of over 400 ashrams, lost his standing after multiple criminal convictions. In 2018, he was sentenced to life in prison for raping a minor at his Jodhpur ashram. Five years later, in 2023, he received another life sentence for sexually assaulting a female follower at his Motera ashram in Ahmedabad. That Motera property, already sizable, grew through illegal expansion, encroaching on public land and the Sabarmati riverbed. In early 2024, authorities issued notices to 142 entities, including Asaram’s ashram, for unlawfully occupying government land valued at ₹500 crore in the area.

Overseeing this significant land acquisition is a three-person committee appointed by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, consisting of the Ahmedabad municipal commissioner, the district collector, and the head of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). The proposed plan allocates 280 acres for the sports enclave, 240 acres for the Olympic Village in the Bhat and Sughad regions, and 50 acres along the Sabarmati Riverfront. The Karai Police Academy’s land is also under review for inclusion. AUDA officials report that the site boundaries are set, and the affected ashrams will be relocated, with options for alternative land or financial compensation.

India's campaign to host 2036 Olympics

India’s campaign to host the 2036 Olympics, backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, advanced in October 2024 when the Indian Olympic Association submitted a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee. Though India is a leading contender, it faces challenges from nations like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, with the host city decision expected no earlier than 2026. For Ahmedabad, repurposing the controversy-laden land of Asaram Bapu’s ashram into a sports hub reflects a potential transition from a troubled history to a future of global significance.