SAMBALPUR: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday emphasised strengthening grassroots sports culture and expanding cooperative-led development. These two, he said, are essential for building a healthier and more prosperous India.
He was speaking at the valedictory ceremony of Sansad Khel Mahotsav 2025 and the 72nd All India Cooperative Week celebrations.
Pradhan said the Sansad Khel Mahotsav, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has emerged as a platform for identifying and nurturing grassroots sporting talent. “Sambalpur has long been home to passionate athletes who have excelled in football, kabaddi, swimming and athletics,” adding that such competitions will help develop a sporting mindset as India gears up for the 2036 Olympics. He also announced that efforts are underway to modernise local stadiums and upgrade sports infrastructure in the district.
This year’s Mahotsav saw an impressive participation of 53,619 athletes including 27,455 boys and 26,159 girls from blocks across the constituency.
Earlier, Pradhan addressed the Cooperative Week event where he recalled the successful cooperative models like Amul and Utkal Tannery. Cooperatives are not merely business entities but instruments of collective progress, crucial for empowering farmers, women and economically vulnerable groups, he said
The union minister proposed formation of 150 multi-purpose cooperative societies and 50 farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in Sambalpur, urging that every household be linked to either a cooperative or an FPO within two years.
Ministers Rabi Narayan Naik and Suryabanshi Suraj, Sambalpur MLA Jay Narayan Mishra and senior district officials were also present.