Sports can become important pillar in India's march to become developed nation by 2047: Mandaviya

Gandhinagar, Jan 27 (PTI) Sports can become an important pillar in India's march to become a developed nation by 2047 when it celebrates the centenary year of independence, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said here on Monday.

The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports said India's commitment to host the Olympics in 2036 is a symbol of its growing power.

Mandaviya spoke at the inaugural event of the 1st International Olympic Research Conference organised at Rashtriya Raksha University.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji said we have to organise the Olympics in the country in 2036. This is a symbol of India's growing power," he said.

The minister said at a time when India is moving towards becoming a developed country in 2047 and celebrating the centenary year of independence, sports can become an important pillar in achieving this target.

Highlighting the importance of research and innovation, Mandaviya said, "If we fail to conduct research and implement new ideas, we will lag in a continuously progressing world." He said, "When we promote sports, we find solutions to many issues. It is for this reason that PM Modi gave the slogans of 'Khelo India' and started a 'Fit India' campaign to keep citizens fit." 'Fit India' is about ensuring physical and mental fitness among citizens, and such people create an ideal society that is healthy and paves the way for a developed country, he said.

The minister said, "Sports is a symbol of a nation's increasing strength. This is why PM Modi said that by 2036, we should be ranked among the top 10 in the world in the sports sector, and when the country celebrates the centenary year of independence in 2047, we have to be in the top five in sports." He said the International Olympic Research Conference is important and will leave an impact globally.

Topics to be discussed during the four-day conference include the selection of the Olympics host city, legacy and urban transformation, economic strategies and technological innovation, sustainability and environmental responsibility in hosting, and games governance. PTI KA PD ARU

Source: PTI