CHENNAI: Declaring open the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 (KIYG) at a grand function here on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "We are working diligently to host the Youth Olympics in 2029 and the Olympic Games in 2036 in India.”
"Today's India can set huge goals and achieve them. This year will witness the creation of new records and marking of new achievements for the nation and the world. You have to move forward because India will move forward with you. Get together, win and make the country win. I declare the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 open,” the PM said. He expressed confidence that the hospitality of Tamil Nadu will win all hearts and that the KIYG will provide athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister MK Stalin said his government's objective is to make TN the sports capital of India. Congratulating TN Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for taking the state in that direction, the CM listed the state's achievements in sports. He also thanked the PM for accepting the state's invitation and visiting TN.
Tasking Udhayanidhi, his son, with taking the state to new heights in sports on a global scale, the CM welcomed about 5,000 participants from various states to the KIYG. Reiterating that the Dravidian model of governance is all about 'everything for everyone,' he recalled that the government had invited sportspersons from Manipur to train in TN. "The Dravidian Model government, in the spirit of brotherhood, welcomed the sportspersons from Manipur as they could not continue their coaching due to the issues in their state. Some of them are participating in the Khelo India Games," he said.
For his part, Modi underlined the government’s resolve to provide international exposure to young athletes and to make the nation an important hub in the global sports ecosystem. Emphasising that sports are not limited to just the field but are a huge economy, the PM reiterated his guarantee to make India the third-largest economy in the world.
The PM also referred to the government's focus on skill development to nurture sports professionals and the creation of a sports equipment manufacturing and services ecosystem in the country. On the expected growth of India's sports industry to ~1 lakh crore, the PM mentioned the new awareness about sports and the resulting growth in broadcasting, sports goods, sports tourism and sports apparel business. He said the government is trying to create manufacturing clusters for sports equipment in different parts of the country. He added that the sports infrastructure created under Khelo India and the various sporting leagues are creating new jobs. “Today, for our youth in schools and colleges who want to make their career in sports-related sectors, their better future is also Modi's guarantee” he added.
Highlighting TN's contribution to sports, the PM said it is a land that produces champions. Mentioning tennis champions the Amritraj brothers, India’s Hockey captain Bhaskaran who led India to a gold medal in the Olympics, Chess players Vishwanathan Anand, Praggnanandhaa and Paralympic champion Mariyappan, the PM expressed confidence that all athletes will derive inspiration from the land of TN.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said the Khelo India Games were launched seven years ago as a brainchild of the PM with a vision to boost a strong sporting culture at the grassroots level to build a framework for all sports played in our country and to establish India as a great sporting nation.
Praising TN, the union minister said, “TN, whenever they have been given the responsibility, has successfully executed prominent events like the Asian Championship Hockey Tournament, the Squash World Cup, and the 44th Chess Olympiad. Earlier, when we mentioned TN and chess, the whole country would think about Viswanathan Anand. But now there is an 18-year-old phenomenon who has excelled beyond imagination and is now the highest-ranking chess player - Praggnanandhaa. He has not only won the hearts of the Indians but has also emerged as a global youth icon.”
Udhayanidhi said the Dravidian Model government in TN has been a guiding spirit to the union government in all sectors, and it has been making many strides in sports also.
“Tamil Nadu has been No.1 in education and medical services in the country. Now, the state has reached an important position in the sports sector also. In addition to the Chess Olympiad, we have hosted the Asian Championship Hockey Tournament, Squash World Cup, World Surfing League,” he said, listing the government's achievements in sports.
To commemorate the centenary celebrations of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the state government will give sports kits to all village panchayats very soon, the minister said. The State has recently received the Confederation of Indian Industry Award for the best state in promoting sports.
During the inaugural ceremony, the PM also launched and laid the foundation stone of projects worth `250 crore related to the broadcasting sector. This includes the launch of the revamped DD Podhigai channel as DD Tamil; 12 Akashvani FM projects in eight states to cover 1.5 crore people; and four DD transmitters in Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, the PM laid the foundation for 26 new FM transmitter projects in 12 States.
TN Governor RN Ravi, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan and Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Nisith Pramanik were among those present on the occasion.