A day after hosting the Olympics medal winners at his home, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interacted with the Indian para-athlete contingent for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and their families and coaches via video conferencing and assured them that India is being increasingly made ‘Divyang-friendly’.
As many as 54 para-athletes from across nine sports disciplines will be heading to Tokyo to represent the nation. This is India’s biggest ever contingent to the Paralympic Games.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister lauded the para-athletes for their self confidence and will power and credited their hard work for the biggest ever contingent to the Paralympic Games.
Modi said he is hopeful after interacting with the para athletes that India will create a new history at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
The Prime Minister said that” today’s new India does not put pressure for medals on the athletes but expects them to give their best.”
Referring to the recent Olympics, the Prime Minister said that the country is firmly with the athletes in their efforts whether they win or miss.
The Prime Minister discussed the importance of mental strength along with physical strength in the field. He praised the para athletes for overcoming their circumstances and moving forward despite them.
The Prime Minister said that our villages and remote areas are full of talent and the contingent of para athletes is a living example of that.
“Today the country is trying to reach them, special attention is being paid to the rural areas,” said the Prime Minister.
Modi informed informed players that for recognizing local talents, 360 Khelo India Centres have been established. Soon this number will be increased to 1000 centres, he said.
Prime Minister said equipments, grounds and other resources and infrastructure are being made available to the sportspersons.
The Country is helping its sportspersons with an open heart. The country provided necessary facilities and targets through ‘Target Olympic Podium Scheme’, said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister insisted that in order to reach the top, we have to shed fears that made home in the hearts of the older generation when families were apprehensive if a child was interested in sports and there were no career prospects in sports barring one or two sports.
This insecurity needed to be destroyed said the Prime Minister emphasizing that “we have to keep on improving our ways and system to develop sports culture in India.”
He pointed out that traditional sports are getting a new identity along with the promotion of international sports. He mentioned establishment of Sports University in Imphal, Manipur, status of sports in the New National Education Policy and Khelo India Movement as key steps in that direction.
“Whatever state, region you belong to, whatever language you speak, above all this, today you are ‘Team India. This spirit should permeate every part of our society at every level”’, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said that earlier, giving facilities to Divyang Jan was treated as welfare, today the country is working for this as part of its responsibility. That is why, the Parliament enacted a law like ‘The Rights for Persons with Disabilities Act to provide comprehensive security to the Divyang Jan. He said ‘Sugamya Bharat Campaign’ is the biggest example of this new thinking. Today hundreds of government building, railway stations, train coaches, domestic airports and other infrastructure are being made Divyang friendly, he said.
Efforts like standard dictionary of Indian Sign Language, Sign language translation of NCERT are changing lives and giving confidence to numerous talents all over the country, said the Prime Minister.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also attended the virtual meet.