Patna, May 4: Showcasing the exploits of Bihar’s 14-year-old wonder-boy Vaibhav Suryavanshi in IPL, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government is committed to improving sports infrastructure to help the youth turn the country into a sporting superpower ahead of fulfilling the dream of hosting the Olympics in 2036.

In a video address to launch the ‘Khelo India Youth Games 2025’, PM Modi said, “The government has increased the sports budget by three times over the past decade and allocated Rs 4,000 crore this year.”

Linking sportsman spirit with patriotism, the PM stressed the need to nurture a sporting culture in the country, saying, “The more the sporting culture grows in the country, the more will be the growth in India’s soft power.”

Highlighting his government’s top priority to promote sports and improve infrastructure, he said sporting events are now organised round the year, and even the National Education Policy has recognised sports by making it a part of mainstream studies.

“Be it university games, youth games, winter games or para-games, the government is committed to exposing sportspersons to new forms of sports,” PM Modi said.

He also highlighted the push for improving facilities in Bihar and said a sports city being developed on the Patna-Gaya Highway, and the growing facilities in villages in the state are examples of the gains from NDA’s “double engine” government.

Reflecting on the economic aspect of sporting culture, PM Modi said, “The sports economy is not limited just to the stadium, but its impact goes beyond that as it creates hundreds of jobs and opens new avenues for employment.”

Sports also open avenues in fields like sports entrepreneurship, physiotherapy, data analytics, sports technology, e-sports, sports media and event management, he said.

Urging the 6,000 participants of the Games to benefit from the event and practise more by taking part in different events, PM Modi said, “I hope all the participants will leave the arena by becoming successful ambassadors of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.”

In his video message, the PM also welcomed the players by speaking a few lines in Bhojpuri-Maithili and encouraged them to make the best use of their visit to Bihar by enjoying the state’s traditional delicacies like litti chokha and makhana.

The mega sporting event for under-18 age group players, ‘Khelo India Youth Games 2025’, began with colourful and grand celebrations at Patna in Bihar.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the event. Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse was also present.

The games will conclude on May 15, and over 8,500 young sporting talents of girl’s and boy’s categories will fight for medals in different events. More than 2,400 medals in different sports are at stake.

A total of 28 sports will be played at six different cities, including Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Bhagalpur and Begusarai. Three kinds of events of cycling, shooting and athletics, will be held in New Delhi.

Several events in different sporting categories started on Sunday. In the boy’s category of Volleyball, the first match was won by the West Bengal team, which defeated Rajasthan in a close fight, according to an official.

Jammu and Kashmir also excelled in volleyball events, defeating Uttarakhand in a game played in Patna.

Events of Judo, Kabaddi, Mallakhamb, and archery are also being held in Patna, Rajgir, Gaya and Bhagalpur. From the host side, Bihar, a jumbo squad of around 700 players is also taking part in different sporting events.

--IANS

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