Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded India’s Olympic-going athletes, saying they have endured “years of exertion” and the country should support them during the Tokyo Games next month without putting them under pressure.
Over 100 Indian players have qualified for the mega-event, which was postponed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic and will be held in the Japanese capital from July 23 to August 8 under strict health safety protocols.
“Every player going to Tokyo has had its share of struggles, and years of hard work. They are going not only for themselves but for the country,” Modi said in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address to the nation.
He said, ‘These players also have to make India proud and win the hearts of the people and therefore my countrymen, I want to advise you also that we should not put pressure on these players knowingly or unknowingly. “…but support them with an open mind and boost every player’s enthusiasm,” he said.
India’s best Olympic performance came in the 2012 London edition when the country won six medals, including two silvers. In the 2016 Games, the performance declined significantly and India could manage to bag just two medals.
In his address on Sunday, the PM also recalled his last interaction with sprint legend Milkha Singh, who died earlier this month after a battle with coronavirus.
“Friends, when we are talking about Tokyo Olympics, how can one forget the great athlete Milkha Singh. A few days ago Corona snatched it from us. I got a chance to talk to him when he was in the hospital.”
“While talking to him, I urged him. I said you represented India in 1964 Tokyo Olympics, so this time when our players are going to the Olympics in Tokyo, you have to boost the morale of our athletes, inspire them with your message.
“He was so committed and passionate about sports that he immediately gave his consent even during his illness. But unfortunately, Providence had other plans.”
Talking about the athletes going for the Games this time, the PM also mentioned archers Deepika Kumari and Praveen Jadhav, hockey player Neha Goyal, boxer Manish Kaushik, race walker Priyanka Goswami, javelin thrower Shivpal Singh, badminton player Chirag Shetty and their Selected life stories. Partner Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy, and Fencer CA Bhavani Devi.
“Most of the players in our country come from small towns and villages. Our team going to Tokyo also has many players whose life inspires a lot.”
The Prime Minister lauded Jadhav and Goyal for going through tough times to qualify for their first Olympic Games. While Jadhav’s parents worked as labourers, Goyal’s mother made his dream come true by working in a cycle factory.
“His (Jadhav) parents run the family by working as laborers and now their son is going to participate in his first Olympics in Tokyo. It is a matter of great pride not only for his parents but for all of us.
Neha is a member of the women’s hockey team going to Tokyo. His mother and sisters work in the cycle factory to support the family.”
Goswami from Uttar Pradesh, who will compete in the 20km race walk event, also comes from a humble background. Her father works as a bus conductor. “As a child, Priyanka loved the bag that was given to medal winners. This fascination inspired him to participate in a race-walking competition for the first time. Now, she is a big champion of it,” Modi said.
Modi also briefly mentioned the life of Bhavani, the first swordsman in the country to qualify for the Games. He said, “I was reading somewhere that Bhavani ji’s mother had even mortgaged her jewelery to continue her training.”
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