Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur, highlighted the transformative impact of Khelo India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) on India’s sports landscape. He stated that under the ‘Khelo India’ initiative, more than 300 sporting infrastructure projects, totaling Rs 3000 crore, have been implemented.
Addressing student-athletes at Bennett University’s ‘Sportikon’ tournament, Thakur emphasized Khelo India’s contribution of annually adding 1000 new athletes, offering comprehensive funding for training, accommodation, diet, and a monthly allowance.
Thakur also commended TOPS for its role in providing athletes with foreign exposure, training, world-class coaching, and financial support ranging from Rs 25000-50000 per month as out-of-pocket allowance.
Aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the ‘Mera Yuva Bharat’ platform was launched last year, focusing on youth as the driving force of the nation. He urged students to join the platform, especially the Khelo India Talent Hunt portal, recognizing the importance of practical exposure alongside classroom learning.
Encouraging the youth to consider sports as a viable career option, the sports minister praised Bennett University for its efforts in uplifting the sporting ecosystem. He urged everyone to embrace the successes of Sportikon, emphasizing India’s potential to become a sporting superpower.
The four-day sports fest, Sportikon, hosted at Bennett University from February 22 to February 25, features over 1200 athletes from 51 universities across India.
Established seven years ago, Bennett University’s focus has not only been on academia but also on the invaluable life lessons that sports offer to the youth.
Thakur reflected on the inspiring journeys of successful sportspersons like Deepika Kumari, PV Sindhu, Deepa Malik, Mary Kom, Dutee Chand, Mirabai Chanu, Viswanathan Anand, Mithali Raj, Neeraj Chopra, Sunil Chhetri, and CA Bhavani Devi. He underscored their role in encouraging many to view sports as a career and adopt fitness as a way of life.
Underlining recent achievements, Thakur mentioned the historic first-ever medal for the Indian Women’s Badminton team at the Badminton Asia Team Championship and India’s success at the World University Games in China, where the country won 26 medals, showcasing significant progress in the field of sports.