New Delhi, August 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed young athletes across the nation on Thursday through a virtual platform during the ‘Khelo India Dialogue – A Conversation on Sports with Prime Minister Modi.’ He urged athletes to enhance their participation in the Olympics.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to prepare athletes for the 2036 Olympics in sports where India has traditionally had minimal or no representation. He announced a campaign aimed at identifying and training talented children aged 5 to 15 based on their potential.
Modi stated, “This time, from the Red Fort, I drew the nation’s attention to a significant challenge related to the Olympics. The harsh reality is that Indian teams do not participate in half of the sports included in the Olympics. Our limited participation has long been a concern, directly affecting our total medal count. We do not compete for a significant portion of the medal tally. This situation has persisted for a long time. In the 2012 Olympics, India participated in only 13 sports, while we had no representation in over 20 sports.”
He highlighted surfing and sports climbing as areas where India could establish a strong presence, given the country’s diverse geography.
“There are many sports that people in our country may have only heard of. Other countries win medals in these sports, yet we do not participate. We need to excel in these areas to increase our medal tally. For instance, we can achieve this in surfing and sports climbing,” he added.
Modi pointed out that India’s coastlines, mountains, and varied terrains provide opportunities to identify and nurture talent in water and winter sports. Despite having the necessary demographics and geography for success in these sports, India remains largely absent on the global stage.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of creating grassroots opportunities to expand access to sports in India. He called for the development of ecosystems for specific sports in various districts.
With an eye on the 2036 Olympics, he emphasized the need to identify athletes who can qualify and participate in the Games, focusing on discovering talent aged 5 to 15. He had announced the talent search campaign on August 15.
“We must not only consider which sport a child is interested in but also determine which sport suits them best. We need to train them accordingly,” he said.
During the program, the Prime Minister reassured the youth that the government would encourage them to pursue careers in sports.
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