Prime Minister addresses Khelo India Samvaad via video link on eve of National Sports Day; Sports Minister Mandaviya, Olympic medallists Gagan Narang and Sheetal Devi join event at IIT Gandhinagar; youth across 5,000 institutes, including several in J&K, connect nationwide
Highlights:
– PM Modi says India skips nearly half of Olympic disciplines and must master them to boost its medal tally
– Announces nationwide Talent Hunt for children aged 5 to 15, outlines strategy for 2036 Olympics
– Sports Minister Mandaviya hails PM’s “personal connect” with athletes; Gagan Narang, Sheetal Devi share their journeys
– Event held ahead of National Sports Day on August 29, marking birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand
Peerzada masarat Shah
New Delhi, Aug 27 (BuzzBytes): Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Thursday participated in the Khelo India Samvaad via video conference, addressing youth and athletes who connected from over 5,000 institutes across the country as part of the National Sports Day 2026 celebrations. The Khelo India Samvaad was held as part of the celebrations for National Sports Day, which is celebrated on August 29 every year, as the birth anniversary of former Indian hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. The Prime Minister warmly congratulated the organizers, Union Cabinet members, Chief Ministers, and lakhs of My Bharat volunteers for orchestrating the event. Noting the upcoming National Sports Day, he extended his advance wishes to the youth and the entire sporting community across the nation. “This day is also to remember a great child of Mother India, Major Dhyan Chand ji,” he said, recalling the historic tour of the Indian Army’s hockey team to New Zealand a century ago and his own recent visit there to honour the legend’s memory.
Speaking to the youth across the nation, the Prime Minister said, “When I talk about sports, it isn’t just about winning medals; it is a campaign to integrate India’s sports power and youth energy to build a Viksit Bharat. I have always said, those who play will blossom.” Reflecting on the sports vision he unveiled from the Red Fort on Independence Day, he stressed that the value of sports extends far beyond medals, describing it as a vital campaign to integrate the nation’s athletic and youth power. He noted that a single player’s success elevates the prestige of their school, district and state, placing local regions on the global map, and said, “Every district has the potential to make its mark on the global sports map.”
Calling attention to a challenge he had flagged during his Independence Day address, the Prime Minister lamented that India has historically not participated in nearly half of all Olympic disciplines. Citing the 2012 Olympics, where India competed in only 13 of the events on offer, he said, “Other countries are winning medals in sports where India does not even participate; we must master these sports as well.” He added, “To increase our medal tally, we will absolutely have to achieve mastery in these sports.”
Highlighting untapped potential, the Prime Minister pointed out that despite vast coastlines and mountainous regions suited for surfing, sports climbing and winter sports, India remains largely invisible in these arenas, and called for a targeted approach to developing specialised sporting ecosystems across diverse districts. Outlining a long-term strategy for the 2036 Olympics, he stressed the urgent need to identify and prepare athletes across a wide spectrum of sports, and reiterated the launch of a national Talent Hunt targeting children aged 5 to 15, prioritising both interest and physical fitness for respective disciplines. “Whatever support is needed from the government for this, the government will walk shoulder to shoulder with you in it,” he said.
The Prime Minister detailed the ongoing establishment of specialised sports universities and advanced training centres, and said the government is increasing international cooperation to share global best practices in sports science, training and coaching. He praised the country’s Para Athletes for their ability to alter societal perspectives on adversity, naming archer Sheetal Devi, double Paralympic medallist Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Nitesh Kumar and Jhandu Kumar, and cited centenarian athlete Fauja Singh as an example of the link between sports and quality of life. He also spoke of sport’s role in combating substance abuse among youth, and pointed to the growing culture of triathlons, 5K and 10K races and fitness challenges such as Hyrox as evidence of a shift in India’s sporting culture. “Sports centres are more important than screens. Playgrounds are more important than PlayStations,” he said, urging schools to prioritise physical education and young people to put their ideas forward openly in the dialogue.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya welcomed the Prime Minister virtually from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar and said, “The country has, for the first time, seen sports not merely as an activity but as a national priority.” He hailed the Prime Minister’s personal connect with athletes, saying, “Your personal connect with athletes is the biggest strength of your sports vision… This is the reason why India’s athletes consider you their own.” Mandaviya said more than 2.4 crore youth have joined the MyBharat platform, and that this year’s Budget was framed as a “Youth-Centric Budget” based on ideas from young people. He also spoke of the National Sports Governance Act’s role in strengthening transparency and fair opportunity.
Following the Prime Minister’s address, Olympic medallist Gagan Narang shared his journey as an athlete with the youth present at IIT Gandhinagar, saying administrative changes in sports have given athletes access to the best equipment to compete internationally. He was joined by 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Sheetal Devi, who said, “Mindsets have changed today. Those who used to question what para-athletes can achieve, today say they will achieve, they are the ones who will bring home the medals.” Students of IIT Gandhinagar made a presentation built around five themes outlined by the Prime Minister — Sports, Olympic Aspirations, Youth Leadership, Viksit Bharat and Nasha Mukt Yuva.
The nationwide interaction was replicated at several institutions across Jammu and Kashmir. A Khelo India Samvaad, “Khel Ki Baat, PM Modi Ke Saath,” was held in Baramulla under the aegis of Mera Yuva Bharat, bringing together youth, sports enthusiasts and MY Bharat volunteers to listen to the Prime Minister’s address and deliberate on sports, fitness and youth participation in nation-building. NIT Srinagar also hosted a MY Bharat Youth event linked to the programme, while at IIM Jammu, Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh addressed a gathering of youth on leadership, fitness and nation-building, saying the government has consciously worked to change the mindset around government jobs and has launched schemes including Mudra Yojana, PM Swanidhi Yojana and Vishwakarma Yojana to provide young people alternative livelihood opportunities. He said India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem with nearly 2.4 lakh recognised startups—(BuzzBytes)
