Govt Encouraging Youngsters To Pursue Career In Sports: PM Modi At Jaipur Mahakhel

The sporting event in Rajasthan's capital saw over 6,400 young athletes take part.

PM Modi congratulated every player who participated in the event.

Source : AFP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the participants of the Jaipur Mahakhel sports tournament via video conferencing on February 5, 2023. Member of Parliament from Jaipur and Olympian Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has been organising the event since 2017. This year the tournament focused on Kabaddi and commenced on January 12, a date which is now observed as the National Youth Day.

PM Modi also took the opportunity to congratulate every player who participated in the event and outlined how initiative like the Jaipur Mahakhel help in identifying and nurturing of sporting talents.

"Jaipur Mahakhel is a celebration of sporting talent! Such efforts increase curiosity towards sports," Modi said in his address.

"Events like Khel Mahakumbh help in harnessing sporting talent. The land of Rajasthan is known for the enthusiasm and potential of its youth. As the country celebrated 75 years of Independence, the nation is creating new definitions and building new systems. Nothing is impossible to achieve for the youngsters of free India," the 72-year-old said.

Initiatives like TOPS is benefitting the youngsters: PM Modi

The sporting event in Rajasthan's capital has seen over 6,400 young athletes take part. These participants are from more than 450-Gram Panchayats, municipalities and wards of all the eight Legislative Assembly Regions of Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha constituency.

Jaipur Mahakhel is a celebration of sporting talent! Such efforts increase curiosity towards sports.
https://t.co/7f2DC6eN8V

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 5, 2023

PM Modi's address was part of the closing ceremony of the tournament which took place at the Chitrakoot Stadium in Vaishali Nagar locality of Jaipur.

"We are encouraging youngsters to pursue career in sports. Initiatives like TOPS is benefitting the youngsters to prepare for major sporting events," Modi stated.

For the unversed, Target Olympic Podium Scheme or TOPS is a flagship program of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which tries to identify potential candidates who can win medals at competitions of international repute the Olympics and provide assistance to them.

Neeraj Chopra, who bagged historic Gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, was a beneficiary of the TOPS scheme.