NEW DELHI: While his govt has come out with schemes and programmes to boost Indian sports, PM Narendra Modi has made it a point to interact with contingents returning from international events as part of his wider efforts to encourage them to do better and underscore efforts being made by govt to hone sporting talents with an eye on 2028 Olympics.Officials noted the next Olympics has repeatedly featured in Modi’s conversations with athletes and that he has always highlighted the unique position sportspersons occupy in society to help grow a general sporting culture that attracts more young people aided by new infrastructure and govt schemes.It was no different when he interacted Thursday with the Indian squad that delivered a record performance at the Asian Para Games. “We want India to produce world-class players and also manufacture world-class sports equipment,” he said, citing the measures his govt has taken and noting the leap to 114 medals from 14 in 2010 to emphasise the change they have effected.He spoke of the talent hunt programme rolled out by his govt with an eye on the Olympics coupled with Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which identifies and grooms high potential athletes, and grassroots campaigns like Khelo India. “With this very vision, we are building a modern sports ecosystem for the country,” he said.Last month, he had spoken with the contingent which had participated in the Asian Games and struck an optimistic note about the future of Indian sports.
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“The pride of the tricolour in every arena, India’s new identity in sports, new champions in every sport, and new records in our name; We will do it,” PM had said, asserting that India is all set to become a global sporting powerhouse.With India traditionally punching far below its weight in global sporting events, officials noted Modi has equally focused on nudging people to shun their orthodox view of sports as an impediment for the academic growth of their children and brought up the issue a few times in his monthly Mann ki Baat radio broadcast as well. Even his August 15 address this year mentioned in detail govt’s determined efforts to fire up a nationwide campaign to develop world class athletes.