PM Modi to para-athletes: Your achievements are a victory of human spirit over adversity | Sport-others News

Hailing their performances as an ‘inspiration to the nation’ and as a ‘victory of human spirit over adversity’, Prime Miner Narendra Modi said his government is committed to providing the best facilities to the para-athletes in their continuous pursuit of the podium.
Modi met the para-athletes at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday following their record-breaking campaign at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, where India won 111 medals. It was the best performance at the continental event, witnessing a 54 per cent increase over the previous best performance five years ago in Jakarta, and the 29 gold medals won were almost two times more than in 2018.
“Whatever hurdles you have overcome is the biggest contribution from you to the country. Many of you have lived with disability since birth, and many of you have suffered mishaps,” Modi was quoted as saying PTI. “Your achievements are an inspiration to the nation and a victory of human spirit over adversity.”
Modi, in his speech, highlighted a memorable year for Indian sport, mentioning Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal at the World Athletics Championships, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy’s doubles gold medal at the Asian Games, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee’s path-breaking bronze medal in Hangzhou, the Thomas Cup title and the record 107 medals at the Asiad last month.
The performance of the para-athletes, Modi said, was an icing on the cake. “These 111 medals are not just numbers but 140 crore dreams,” he said.
The programme was attended the athletes, their coaches, officials from the Paralympic Committee of India & Indian Olympic Association, representatives from National Sports Federations, and officials from the Minry of Youth Affairs and Sports, including Sports Miner Anurag Thakur.
Reiterating India’s ambition to host the 2030 Youth Olympics and the 2036 Olympics, Modi said ‘the country had always produced good athletes but lack of financial support early came as a big hurdle in their way of excelling.’Most Read
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“India has always produced good athletes, but lack of support or financial support held them back. In nine years (of the government), that old thinking has changed. Today 4-5 crore rupees are being spent on individual athletes. The government is athlete-centric and clearing hurdles in their way,” he said.
“Only when potential gets the right platform, can performance be ensured and schemes like Khelo India and Target Olympic Podium Scheme are some such big initiatives of the government,” Modi added.
He said the performances of the athletes are changing the image of sports in the country, with many willing to take it up as a profession. “Government’s approach today is athlete-centric”, the Prime Miner said. “Potential plus Platform is equal to Performance. Performance gets a boost when potential finds the needed platform.”