Addresses Khelo India Samvad via video conferencing
New Delhi, Aug 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for expanding India’s participation across sporting disciplines at the Olympics, saying the country must identify and nurture talent early to prepare for the 2036 Games.
Addressing the Khelo India Samvad through video conferencing, Modi said India’s sports vision was not limited to winning medals but was aimed at combining the country’s sports and youth power in the journey towards a developed India.
He said India currently participates in only around half of the sports featured at the Olympics, pointing out that the country participated in just 13 sports at the 2012 Olympics and had no representation in more than 20 disciplines.
“We must achieve mastery in those sports too,” Modi said, highlighting disciplines such as surfing and sport climbing. He said India’s coastline and vast mountainous regions offered considerable potential for water and winter sports.
The Prime Minister said districts should identify sports in which they have natural advantages and develop dedicated ecosystems around them. He said every district had the potential to put itself on the global sports map.
Referring to preparations for the 2036 Olympics, Modi said India must identify players who would be capable of qualifying for and competing in different disciplines at the Games. He said a major talent-hunt campaign had been announced to identify children aged between five and 15 years and assess their suitability for different sports.
Modi said the government was committed to developing a modern sports ecosystem, including sports universities, modern training centres and systems for talent identification, training and preparation for the international stage.
He also stressed the importance of sports in promoting fitness, discipline and resilience among young people, besides helping them stay away from drugs and addiction.
Highlighting the achievements of para-athletes, Modi cited archery player Sheetal Devi, Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Nitesh Kumar and Jhandu Kumar as examples of athletes who have inspired the country.
Calling for a stronger sports culture, the Prime Minister said schools should treat sports as an integral part of life rather than merely a co-curricular activity.
“More important than screens are sports centres. More important than PlayStation is the playground,” he said.
Modi also highlighted emerging opportunities in sports technology, equipment design, sports medicine, nutrition, psychology and analytics, urging young people to explore these fields. He said the Khelo India Samvad would provide a platform for young people to contribute ideas on sports, talent development and governance and help shape the country’s sports policy.
