Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar ji, my colleagues in the Union Cabinet, Mansukh Bhai, sister Raksha Khadse and Shri Ram Nath Thakur ji, Deputy CMs of Bihar, Samrat Choudhary ji and Vijay Kumar Sinha ji, other distinguished guests present, all players, coaches, other staff members, and my dear young friends!
I warmly welcome all the sportspersons who have come from every corner of the country—each one better than the other, each one more talented than the other.
Friends,
During the Khelo India Youth Games, competitions will be held across various cities in Bihar. From Patna to Rajgir, from Gaya to Bhagalpur and Begusarai, more than 6,000 young athletes, with over 6,000 dreams and resolutions, will make their mark on this sacred land of Bihar over the next few days. I extend my best wishes to all the players. Sports in Bharat is now establishing itself as a cultural identity. And the more our sporting culture grows in Bharat, the more our soft power as a nation will increase. The Khelo India Youth Games have become a significant platform for the youth of the country in this direction.
Friends,
For any athlete to improve their performance, to constantly test themselves, it is essential to play more matches and participate in more competitions. The NDA government has always given top priority to this in its policies. Today, we have Khelo India University Games, Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India Winter Games, and Khelo India Para Games. That means, national-level competitions are regularly held all year round, at different levels, across the country. This boosts the confidence of our athletes and helps their talent shine. Let me give you an example from the world of cricket. Recently, we saw the brilliant performance of Bihar’s own son, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, in the IPL. At such a young age, Vaibhav set a tremendous record. Behind his stellar performance is, of course, his hard work, but also the numerous matches at various levels that gave his talent a chance to emerge. In other words, the more you play, the more you blossom. During the Khelo India Youth Games, all the athletes will get the opportunity to understand the nuances of playing at the national level, and you will be able to learn a great deal.
Friends,
Hosting the Olympics in Bharat has been a long-cherished dream of every Indian. Today, Bharat is striving to host the Olympics in 2036. To strengthen Bharat’s presence in international sports and to identify sporting talent at the school level, the government is training athletes right from the school stage. From the Khelo India initiative to the TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme), an entire ecosystem has been developed for this purpose. Today, thousands of athletes across the country, including from Bihar, are benefiting from it. The government is also focused on providing our players with opportunities to explore and play more sports. That is why games like Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Kho-Kho, Mallakhamb, and even Yogasana have been included in the Khelo India Youth Games. In recent times, our athletes have delivered impressive performances in several new sports. Indian athletes are now excelling in disciplines such as Wushu, Sepak Takraw, Pencak Silat, Lawn Bowls, and Roller Skating. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, our women's team drew everyone's attention by winning a medal in Lawn Bowls.
Friends,
The government is also focused on modernizing sports infrastructure in Bharat. In the past decade, the sports budget has been increased by more than three times. This year, the sports budget is around 4,000 crore rupees. A significant portion of this budget is being spent on developing sports infrastructure. Today, over a thousand Khelo India centres are operational across the country, with more than three dozen of them located in Bihar alone. Bihar is also benefiting from the NDA’s double engine government model. The state government is expanding many schemes at its own level. A Khelo India State Centre of Excellence has been established in Rajgir. Bihar has also been given institutions like the Bihar Sports University and the State Sports Academy. A Sports City is being built along the Patna-Gaya highway. Sports facilities are being developed in the villages of Bihar. Now, the Khelo India Youth Games will further strengthen Bihar’s presence on the national sports map.
Friends,
The world of sports and the sports-related economy is no longer limited to the playing field. Today, it is creating new avenues of employment and self-employment for the youth. Fields like physiotherapy, data analytics, sports technology, broadcasting, e-sports, and management are emerging as important sub-sectors. Our youth can also consider careers as coaches, fitness trainers, recruitment agents, event managers, sports lawyers, and sports media experts. In other words, a stadium is no longer just a place to play matches—it has become a source of thousands of job opportunities. There are also many new possibilities opening up for youth in the field of sports entrepreneurship. The National Sports Universities being established in the country and the new National Education Policy, which has made sports a part of mainstream education, are both aimed at producing not only outstanding athletes but also top-tier sports professionals in Bharat.
My young friends,
We all know how important sportsmanship is in every aspect of life. We learn teamwork and how to move forward together with others on the sports field. You must give your best on the field, and also strengthen your role as brand ambassadors of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India). I am confident that you will return from Bihar with many wonderful memories. To those athletes who have come from outside Bihar, be sure to savour the taste of litti-chokha. You will surely enjoy makhana from Bihar as well.
Friends,
With the spirit of sportsmanship and patriotism held high from Khelo India Youth Games, I hereby declare the 7th Khelo India Youth Games open.
