Bengaluru

Team spirit is the first mantra for success in sports and one also requires a holistic approach and 100 per cent dedication for it, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video message for the Khelo India University Games on Sunday.

The games were declared open by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium here. Governor of Karnataka Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitaraman, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, Minister of State, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister said that Bengaluru symbolizes the youthful enthusiasm of the country and is the pride of the professionals. He said that it is significant that a confluence of startups and sports is happening here. "Holding of the Khelo India University Games in Bengaluru will add to the energy of this beautiful city," he said. The Prime Minister saluted the resolve of the organizers as the organization of the Games amidst the challenges of the pandemic epitomizes determination and passion.

This youthful passion is driving India in every field with new momentum, the Prime Minister added. The Prime Minister underlined the importance of team spirit. "This team spirit we get to learn from sports. You will experience it directly in the Khelo India University Games. This team spirit also gives us a new way of looking at life," the Prime Minister said. Similarly, a holistic approach and 100 per cent dedication are the key requirements for success in sports. Strengths and learnings from the sports field also take one forward in life. "Sports, in the real sense, is the genuine support system of life," PM Modi emphasized. The Prime Minister also drew similarities between sports and life with regards to various aspects such as passion, challenges, learning from defeat, integrity and the ability to live in the moment.

"Wearing the victory well and learning from defeat is an important art that we learn in the sports field", he said. The Prime Minister told the athletes that they are the youth of New India and they are also the flag bearers of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat. Youthful thinking and approaches are shaping the country's policies today. The Prime Minister said that today's youth has made fitness a mantra of the country's progress. Many initiatives are freeing sports from the shackles of the old mode of thinking. Measures like the emphasis on sports in the new education policy, modern infrastructure for sports, transparent selection process or increasing use of modern technology in sports are fast becoming the identity of New India, hopes and aspirations of its youth, and the foundation of decisions of New India.

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"Now new Sports Science Centers are being established in the country. Dedicated sports universities are coming up. This is for your convenience and to fulfil your dreams," the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister reiterated the link between sports power and the power of the country as recognition in sports adds to the recognition for the country. He recalled his meeting with Tokyo Olympics contingent and remembered the glow and satisfaction of doing something for the country on the faces of the athletes. The Prime Minister exhorted the players to play for the country while participating in the Games