Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affair Mansukh Mandaviya addresses a panel discussion on India’s preparations for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, in New Delhi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Minister of Sports and Youth Affair Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the inauguration of the second phase of the Central government’s Khelo India Rising Talent Program (KIRTI) programme Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday.
Under the KIRTI programme, 20,000 students studying in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools will be assessed for their sporting talent. The Sports Ministry has set a target to identify 1 lakh sports talents across the country in the first 100 days of Modi 3.0, Mr. Mandaviya added.
Mr. Mandaviya said that India’s diverse population ensures that there is no lack of talent in the country.
“Earlier, when we used to watch the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games, we would only see the sport. We would not get any medals,” he said. Now, the KIRTI programme aims to recognise the talent present in the country as well as try to foster an interest towards sports amongst citizens, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar said that the civic body had established a football academy in Najafgarh which has resulted in students from the MCD schools securing the first position in a recently-held under-11 tournament.