NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the citizens to support the Indian contingent, as the countdown for the Tokyo Olympics gets ever so near.
Addressing the nation in the 78th episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, PM Modi touched upon the struggles of some of our athletes to reach the elite levels and remembered track & field legend Milkha Singh who passed away due to Covid-19 earlier this month.
“Friends, when we are talking of Tokyo Olympics, how can one forget the legendry athlete Milkha Singh. Some days ago, corona snatched him away from us. When he was in hospital, I got an opportunity to talk to him. While talking to him I had urged him. I had said that you have represented India in 1964 Tokyo Olympics, so this time when our players are going to Olympics in Tokyo; you have to boost the morale of our athletes, have to motivate them with your message. He was so committed and emotional for sports that he immediately gave his consent even during his illness,” PM Modi said.
“But unfortunately, providence had other plans. I still remember he had come to Surat in 2014. We had inaugurated a night marathon. The interaction that I had with him then, the chat about sports that happened, that inspired me a lot too. We all know that the entire family of Milkha Singh has been dedicated to sports…. has been adding to the glory of India,” PM Modi added.
The PM spent considerable time in highlighting how the majority of the Tokyo-bound squad belongs to the smaller towns and villages.
“In our country most of the sportspersons hail from the smaller towns and villages. Our team that is going to Tokyo too has many such players whose life inspires a lot. When you hear about our Praveen Jadhav, then you too will feel… how many difficulties Praveen has gone through to reach here. Praveen hails from a village in Satara district of Maharashtra. He is very good at archery. His parents run the family by working as labourers and now their son is going to participate in his first Olympics at Tokyo. This is a matter of great pride not only for his parents but for all of us,” he said.
“Similarly, there is one more player, our Neha Goyal. Neha is a member of the women’s hockey team going to Tokyo. Her mother and sisters manage the family expenses by working in a cycle factory. Like Neha, Deepika Kumari’s life too has been full of ups and downs. Deepika’s father drives an auto rickshaw and her mother is a nurse, and now see, Deepika is at present the only female archer from India in the Tokyo Olympics. Our best wishes are with Deepika, once ranked world’s number one archer,” the PM added.
PM Modi also discussed the issues of how our athletes had little or no resources while they pursued their dreams of making big early in their careers.
“…The joy of success experienced after a period of struggle is something else! Our players going to Tokyo faced scarcity of means and resources in their childhood, but they persevered, and endured with fortitude. The life of Priyanka Goswami of Muzaffarnagar also teaches a lot. Priyanka’s father is a bus conductor. As a child, Priyanka adored the bag that the medal winners were presented with. This fascination made her participate in the race-walking competition for the first time. Now, she is a big champion,” he said highlighting her motivation to succeed.
Javelin thrower Shivpal Singh, badminton’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and SatwikSairaj Rankireddy, fencer C.A. Bhawani Devi and boxer Manish Kaushik, who is from Bhiwani, were some of the other stars that the PM discussed during his address.
“Friends, there are numerous such names, but in Mann Ki Baat, today I have been able to mention only a few. Every player going to Tokyo has had one’s own share of struggle, and years of toil. They are going not only for themselves but for the country. These players also have to enhance the glory of India and win the hearts of the people and that is why my countrymen I want to advise you too, that we should not pressurize these players knowingly or unknowingly, but support them with an open mind and bolster the enthusiasm of every player,” the PM urged.
“You can send your wishes to these players with #Cheer4India on social media. If you want to do something more innovative, then definitely do that too. If you come across any idea that the country should do collectively for our players, then you must send it to me. Together we will support our players going to Tokyo,” he added.