TALEIGAO PLATEAU: Union Sports Minister, Anurag Singh Thakur emphasised the government’s continuing focus on sports under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and appealed to the parents not to make their children bookworms and instead encourage them to participate in Sports disciplines. He was speaking during the short ceremony before the finals action kicked off on the concluding day of WTT Star Contender Goa 2023 at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, Taleigao Plateau, on Sunday evening.
Highlighting the major international events hosted over last couple of years including FIFA U-17 World Cup, Chess Olympiad and WTT now, Thakur said: “this has all happened because Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is a sports lover, sports enthusiast and promoter of sports. And that is how we can see the budget of sports has gone up three times in the last eight years.
“We could see a lot of championships being hosted and at the same time we could see the moment we waited for over 120 years – Niraj Chopra winning Olympic Gold Medal for India. Not only that, I could see women are doing extremely well in sports,” added Thakur, appreciating the record-breaking spree of the girls at Khelo India Youth Games in Haryana and MP.
Thakur also thanked the spectators at WTT Star Contender Goa, saying: “You are the reason why sports are promoted. Without spectators there is nothing and only when you come, sports get a boost. I also want parents to encourage children to play sports and not make them bookworms. Our Fit India initiative has a slogan of ‘fitness ka dose , adha ghanta roz’, as if India has to scale higher levels of accomplishments in sports, your cooperation is necessary.”
Stupa Sport Analytics has organised WTT Star Contender in Goa with the support of state government. As such, Thakur congratulated the organisers for putting up a fantastic show. “Thank you Goa government and officials, for making it happen,” he added.
