PM’s speech at the inauguration of 1st Khelo India University Games
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 22 Feb, 2020

On stage, the Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik Ji, my Cabinet colleagues, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan ji and Shri Kiren Rijiju ji, Ministers from the Odisha government Shri Arun Kumar Sahu ji, Shri Tusharakanti Behera ji and young friends who have gathered from all over the country! I am connecting with you through technology, but I can feel the atmosphere, the enthusiasm, the passion and the spirit there. Today, a new history has been created in Odisha. The first ever Khelo India University Games in the history of India are starting today. This is not only a historic chapter in India’s sports history, but also a big step for the future of India’s sports field. Today, India has joined the league of countries in the world, where university games are organized at this level. Many congratulations and best wishes to the people of Odisha and  more than 3000 young players who have gathered to participate from all over the country and the government there for organizing this event. Friends, You not only have a goal of winning more than 200 gold medals in the coming days, but more importantly, you have the target of improving your own performances and giving new heights to your own potential. In Bhubaneswar, you are not only competing with each other, but also competing with yourself. Remember, your hard work in Bhubaneswar will carry your dreams, your family’s dreams and India’s dreams ahead. In this ceremony, you have many inspiring personalities like Torch Bearer, Dutee Chand ji. You should get down in the field with the feeling of not only winning the medals but also to inspire the country for fitness. Friends, This day is not just the beginning of a tournament, but also the beginning of the next phase of the sports movement in India. Khelo India campaign has played an important role in attracting people towards sports and also in identifying young talent from every corner of the country. This nationwide campaign for school children has now been started at university level, taking it one level further. The changes brought in the country with the Khelo India campaign have been witnessed in Guwahati last month. Friends, When the Khelo India Games started in the year 2018, 3500 players had taken part in it. But in just three years the number of players has increased to more than 6000, that is, almost double. Not only the numbers are increasing, the quality of sports and players and the quality of sports infrastructure is also improving continuously. This year, 80 records were broken in the Khelo India School Games, of which 56 were broken by our daughters. The most important thing to note is that the talent coming up under this campaign is from the villages, small towns, poor households and from Tier 3, Tier 4 cities. This is the talent that was unable to progress in the absence of resources and exposure before. Now this talent is getting both the resources and national level exposure at a very young age. Friends, Since last 5-6 years sincere efforts have been made for the promotion of sports and for encouraging more participation in sports in India. Be it talent identification, training, or selection process, transparency is being promoted everywhere. The result is also seen in India’s performance in international competitions. Khelo India campaign has become a major medium for identifying young talent. Under this, the young players selected are given assistance of up to Rs 6.25 lakh every year. Apart from this, they are trained in more than 100 academies of the country. So far, around 3000 such players have been selected. Recently, a Khelo India mobile app has also been launched. Similarly, under the Olympic Podium Scheme, the country’s brightest players are being prepared for high-level matches. About 100 top athletes in the country are currently being supported under this scheme. Friends, These are the players who are likely to take part in the Tokyo Olympics. The players benefitting from this scheme have brought more than 200 medals to the country in competitions like Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games and Youth Olympics. Moreover, lifetime pension has also been provided for Meritorious Sportspersons. Friends, The players must focus only in giving their best performances. The country will deal with the rest of the things. We are trying to ensure that along with academics, students also focus upon sports and fitness. Institutions like National Sports University are being set up to keep our young players fit for every type of career. Friends, We are giving our best in both areas whether it is the fitness of the youth of the country or the supremacy of India in International Sports. Now I formally declare the first Khelo India University Games open!! Wish you all the best again! I thank Shri Naveen ji and the Government of Odisha, for organizing such a big event from the bottom of my heart. And I hope that with the grace of Lord Jagannath, we can set out to win the world. Jai Jagannath! I wish you all the very best! Thanks a lot!!