New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening motivated the Indian contingent of athletes heading to Tokyo in batches from the next week to participate in the Olympic Games to do their best and make the country proud.
The Games are scheduled to be held in the Japanese capital from July 23 to August 8.
Via video-conferencing, Modi interacted with Mary Kom, Sania Mirza, PV Sindhu, Deepika Kumari, Pravin Jadhav, Neeraj Chopra, Dutee Chand, Ashish Kumar, Elavenil Valarivan, Saurabh Chaudhary, Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra, Vinesh Phogat, Sajan Prakash, and Manpreet Singh.
He engaged in a light-hearted interaction with the athletes to encourage them for the upcoming Games and cited the example of the Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to boxer Ashish Kumar, who lost his father to Covid-19 just before the Olympic qualifiers.
The PM also had a lively conversation with PV Sindhu and Vinesh Phoghat and congratulated Deepika Kumari for her success in Paris.
He encouraged players like Sania Mirza, and Manpreet Singh and termed Manika Batra as an inspiration for youth. He advised injured javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra to “focus on your goal.”
Talking to the Ahmedabad-based shooter Elavenil Valarivan, the Prime Minister recalled that she belonged to the Maninagar constituency from where he used to contest elections to enter the Gujarat Assembly while he was the Chief Minister.
In his brief speech, Modi promised to meet the athletes in person after their return from the Games. Referring to his recent Mann Ki Baat, he said, “I asked the country to cheer for you all. It makes me happy that the country is cheering for you. I wish you all the very best.”
“I see some things common in you all: confidence, positivity, discipline, dedication, and commitment.
“You reflect a New India. You come from all over India. Some started on the field, others in academies, but all of you are a part of Team India. You are going to represent the country, and this spirit is the image of India. You play with all your spirit, work more on your technique,” he added.
Newly-appointed Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Anurag Thakur praised Modi for his efforts to promote sports. “As you head towards Tokyo, the PM has come to motivate you. I have only one message: when you go to Tokyo, all you have to think is that you have to win medals for the country.”
Indian Olympics Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra thanked PM Modi for his motivating interaction and the athletes for their sportsman spirit and for fighting through the Covid-19 pandemic.”
(Avya Mathur)
