- Youth shared their views and suggestions on expansion of sports facilities, talent development for the 2036 Olympics, de-addiction, youth leadership, youth participation in governance and youth empowerment.
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi virtually addressed the ‘Khelo India Dialogue’
- International cricketer Tilak Varma and youth-icon Dr. Priyanka Bissa also attended the event.
Deputy Chief Minister and Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Shri Arun Saw attended the “Khelo India Samvad” program held at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Raipur today. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya virtually addressed the nationwide “Khelo India Samvad,” organized on the occasion of National Sports Day, the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. They addressed over 800,000 youth from approximately 1,600 locations across the country. Athletes and prominent sports figures from across the country also participated virtually. Renowned international cricketer Tilak Varma and youth icon Dr. Priyanka Bissa were also present at the event in Raipur.
Addressing youth across the country at the “Khelo India Samvad,” Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that when we talk about sports, it is not just about winning medals. It is a campaign to unite India’s sports power and India’s youth power in building a developed India. He said, “Those who play should flourish. And flourishing in sports isn’t just about winning on the field; flourishing in sports means blossoming of personality, blossoming of family, and bringing pride to the nation.”
Prime Minister Shri Modi stated that the government is fully committed to building a modern 21st-century sports ecosystem in India. From sports universities to modern training centers, a system is being developed across the country that provides support at every level, from identifying talent to catapulting it to the global stage. We are also expanding cooperation with other countries to share sports science, training, coaching, and experience.
Shri Modi said that the ‘Khelo India Dialogue’ is not just a program to discuss sports. It is a platform for dialogue, each idea of which can give a new direction to the country’s sports vision. The youth dialogue being held alongside it is a great medium to connect the ideas and aspirations of the youth with the dreams of the country. In this program, youth will be involved in policy formulation by listening to their thoughts and suggestions regarding the sports ecosystem, talent development, governance, and a developed India.
Addressing the youth at the “Khelo India Dialogue” held at NIT, Deputy Chief Minister and Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Shri Arun Sao said that hard work is behind every person’s success. When we work hard, abandoning our vices and overcoming our shortcomings and flaws, we achieve great success. Appealing to the youth to stay away from drugs, he said that only drug-free youth can build a developed India. Being drug-free is in itself a means of giving strength and power to the country.
Inspiring the youth, Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Saw said that sometimes we face some failure, but we should not become discouraged or disheartened by this, nor should we turn to drugs. Addiction weakens you and harms you. Addiction can never benefit anyone. He urged them to move forward in life with full confidence. This country will become a developed India based on your strength and your own strength. Our Prime Minister wants to move you forward, harnessing the potential of your youth to make India a developed nation.
Renowned cricketer Tilak Varma, while answering questions from young people at the event, said that sports teaches a person everything. It develops qualities like resilience, pressure management, skills, team spirit, and mental stability, while also fostering awareness about health, fitness, and nutrition. He added that athletes like Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Neeraj Chopra have inspired millions of young people across the country to participate in sports. Youth icon Dr. Priyanka Bissa emphasized that young people need to take responsibility, not only by offering suggestions and taking initiatives. They should work with a sense of ownership in their initiatives. They should make their active and strong presence felt in leadership, governance, and the nation’s progress.
NIT students, athletes, and youth shared their views and suggestions at the ‘Yuva Samvad’, organized under the ‘Khelo India Samvad’, on topics such as development of sports infrastructure in the country, expansion of sports facilities, strengthening the sports ecosystem, talent development for the 2036 Olympics, drug de-addiction, youth leadership and youth participation in governance, and youth empowerment for a developed India. The youth were also administered a pledge to remain drug-free. NIT Director Dr. N.V. Ramana Rao, Secretary of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department, Mr. Yashwant Kumar, Director Ms. Akanksha Shiksha Khalkho, and State Director of My Bharat, Mr. Arpit Tiwari, along with NIT faculty and officials from the Sports and Youth Welfare Department were also present at the event.