Sport is life’s most honest teacher; champions are forged through sweat, discipline and community support, not shortcuts: LG Sinha; urges corporates to nurture talent early, MoUs exchanged for promotion of sports in J&K
Srinagar, Aug 29 (BuzzBytes): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday paid solemn tribute to Major Dhyan Chand, the wizard of hockey, on the occasion of National Sports Day, describing him as one of India’s deepest and most enduring symbols, whose brilliance compelled the world to pause and acknowledge India’s immense sporting talent.
In his address at the Sports Ground of SKUAST Kashmir’s Shalimar Campus, the Lieutenant Governor said every stroke of Major Dhyan Chand’s hockey stick symbolised discipline, dedication and willpower, and that sport is not merely about medals but about cultivating resilience, unity and the spirit of nation-building. “Sport is life’s most honest teacher. The playing field never lies; rather, it tells you precisely where you stand today and what you must do to become better tomorrow. There are no shortcuts in sports,” he said.
Highlighting the role of youth, the Lieutenant Governor said sports give wings to dreams and expressed confidence in the young athletes of Jammu and Kashmir, envisioning a future where every Gram Panchayat harnesses the power of sports, academies in small towns nurture talent, and farmers’ daughters receive the same scientific training as athletes in Centres of Excellence in big cities. He also underlined the importance of sports science, management and technical expertise in universities, and expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir would host, not just participate in, international sporting events.
Calling upon youth to contribute to building a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Lieutenant Governor stressed that champions are forged through discipline and effort, not shortcuts, and urged corporate houses to support athletes at the stage of talent recognition rather than only after they win medals. He outlined three duties for youth: to lead by example, compete with dignity, accept defeat gracefully, and inspire future generations, and called on them to use the unity of sports to transcend differences of language and faith. He commended youth participation in the Drug-Free Campaign, saying development is measured not by GDP alone but by the health, energy and confidence of citizens.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor administered the National Sports Day pledge and felicitated the top-performing sportspersons of the 69th National School Games. MoUs were exchanged between the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports, J&K, and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, Dani Sports Foundation and Common Services Centres for the promotion of sports in J&K.
Ashwani Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department; Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports; Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor SKUAST Kashmir; Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Sujit Kumar, IGP Kashmir; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar; Anuradha Gupta, Director General, Youth Services and Sports; senior officials and a large number of sportspersons and youth attended the celebrations—(BuzzBytes)
