New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met India’s Asian Games medal-winners, including the gold-winning men’s and women’s cricket teams, here on Thursday and said the country is not just becoming a stronger force in terms of performance but also evolving into a “credible host” for major international events.
The PM posed for pictures with the medal-winners and was presented with memorabilia ranging from signed jerseys to a bow from 17-year-old recurve archery sensation Kumkum Mohod, who won two gold medals (individual and women’s team) and a silver (mixed team) at the recently-concluded Games.
The contingent was accompanied by top officials of their respective governing bodies, including International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P T Usha among others. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was also present during the interaction that took place at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here.
“You have made 140 crore Indians proud. The biggest success is to make the tri-colour fly high. That’s why your success is not just yours but it belongs to crores of our countrymen. I congratulate you on behalf of the entire country,” the PM said in his address to the medal winners.
“India is emerging in establishing itself as a credible and hospitable country for international sports events. We are bidding for the 2036 Olympics and it is our resolve that we will host the games,” he asserted.
India won 85 medals at the Asian Games, including 21 gold. The count was lower than the 106 medals achieved in the previous edition in Hangzhou but the performance of India’s Games debutants was heartening as they claimed 41 medals for the country.
“I especially want to congratulate our women athletes, they contributed 38 medals to our tally and 11 of those medals were gold,” Modi said, lauding the cricket teams, the hockey teams and the performance of archers, who won five gold medals.
“The women’s hockey team ended a 44-year wait with its gold medal, it is highly appreciable,” he added.
The entire men’s T20 team led by Shreyas Iyer, which has a match against the West Indies in Bengaluru on Saturday, was in attendance, along with the women’s team, which is due to take on Zimbabwe in a T20I in Raipur on Friday.
Harmanpreet Kaur, who captained the side to the Asiad gold before stepping down from her role a few days ago, was also present and gave a jersey signed by the medal-winning team to the PM. Her successor Smriti Mandhana also posed alongside her.
Golfer Pranavi Urs gave Modi her glove and a golf ball in a frame.
“Sankalp aur sapne ek din mein poore nahi hote (Dreams are not achieved in a day). It takes years of hard work and dedication. In the last 12 years, India has shown patience and worked hard to create a sports ecosystem,” he said.
“There was a time when India would win very few medals at big event. The country did not know so many sports. We resolved to end this pessimism and the result is our increasing representation on the global stage.
“Today India is winning medals even in those sports in which we had never won a medal in the history of the Asian Games before,” said Modi, referring to first-time Asiad medals im Mixed Martial Arts, Soft Tennis and some sailing competitions.
“A transparent system is in place for sports now,” he added.
He also highlighted the direct financial support to athletes, including a Rs 50,000 allowance under TOPS and funding for international coaching stints.
“If there is a need to go outside the country for coaching in any sport, the government is facilitating that too and providing financial assistance for it,” said Modi.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, India’s hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, and the aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics, he recalled his Red Fort announcement of a nationwide village-level talent hunt.
“These identified players will bring medals for India in the times to come,” he said.
Urging the medallists to shoulder the responsibility of mentoring the next generation, the Prime Minister asked them to visit schools and engage with children in their home towns.
“Perhaps, a word from you might give a child the courage to move ahead in sports,” he said.
