New Delhi, Aug 27 (JKNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India must significantly expand its participation across Olympic disciplines, pointing out that the country currently does not compete in nearly half of the sports featured at the Games.
Addressing athletes, students and volunteers virtually during the Khelo India Dialogue, as per news agency JKNS, PM Modi said India’s sporting vision goes beyond winning medals and seeks to make sports an integral part of nation-building and the development of the country’s youth.
“In the Olympics, there are so many different sports… Indian teams don’t even participate in half of them,” Modi said, describing it as a “bitter truth”.
He noted that at the Paris Olympics 2024, India participated in 16 of the 32 sports on the Games roster, leaving a significant portion of the available medal tally beyond its reach.
“To increase our medal tally, we will have to master these sports as well,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi said the limited participation had continued for decades, while athletes from other countries had been winning medals in disciplines in which India had little or no representation.
Referring to his Independence Day address on August 15, the Prime Minister said he had outlined a sports vision aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent across the country.
He announced a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 years, aimed at expanding India’s participation in Olympic disciplines.
“When I talk about sports… it is not merely about winning medals,” Modi said, adding that the broader objective was to bring together India’s sporting strength and youth power in the process of building a developed India.
The Prime Minister stressed that greater participation, systematic talent identification and preparation across a wider range of disciplines would be essential for India to emerge as a stronger sporting nation. (JKNS)
