NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stressed the importance of sports in building a healthy society and encouraged youngsters to choose “playgrounds over Playstations”. Speaking to athletes during the Khelo India Dialogue via video conferencing, the Prime Minister said sports should become a part of everyday life rather than being seen only as a co-curricular activity in schools.
Sports should become a way of life
PM Modi said it was encouraging to see sports finding a place in the daily timetable of youngsters along with studies. He said a strong sporting culture would develop when schools and families started treating sports as an important part of life.“When time table is being made for career and studies, sports is also getting its place. This is the change due to which India’s trust in its sporting future is increasing. Sports culture is established when schools do not consider sports periods as a co-curricular activity, but as a way of life. This is how the talent pool is developed, and the children get support from their families. Sports centers are more important than screens. Playgrounds are more important than Playstations. It will only happen when our youth will take this approach forward,” he said.The Prime Minister also spoke about the value of sportsmanship beyond the playing field. He said sports can help create a healthy society, improve family life and build a better work culture.“We often hear that, for a healthy society, a good family system, and a better work culture, the sportsman spirit is essential. And this spirit is very difficult to learn without going to the sports field. Sports not only teach us to become champions, but sports also teaches us to become better competitors. Rising, falling… falling and then rising again… Sports brings this zeal within us,” he said.
‘Those who play, they blossom’
PM Modi said success in sports is not limited to winning medals or matches. According to him, an athlete’s success also brings pride to their family, school, district and state, while also increasing the country’s prestige.“It signifies the blossoming of the individual and the family, as well as enhancing the nation’s pride. When an athlete succeeds, that success is not theirs alone; it elevates the identity of their family, boosts the prestige of their school and college, and strengthens the recognition of their district and state. The world begins to identify that city or state by the athlete’s name,” he said.
