New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked India’s Asian Para Games participants to put their focus on the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles after a stellar show in the recently concluded Aichi-Nagoya Para Games.
PM Modi met the Indian contingent of the 2026 Asian Para Games and interacted with the participants at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in the national capital.
While hailing the athletes for their strong outing at the Asian Para Games, the PM asked them to put their focus on the next major challenge.
“The podium at Aichi-Nagoya is not the final stop of your journey. You must use this success as a launching pad for even greater goals. The next goal for India and most of you is LA 2028. Avani and Manish have already secured their quotas for LA,” PM Modi said in his address.
He further asked the athletes to maximise India’s participation at the upcoming Paralympics. “Our goal should be that a maximum number of Indian athletes participate in LA 2028 and bring home the maximum number of medals. Therefore, all of you should celebrate this moment to the fullest and, right from now, get busy preparing for what lies ahead,” he added.
“The grand festival of Diwali has already begun. This time, celebrate Diwali with great pride, joy, and splendour. But during Diwali itself, set the target for your next journey in your mind and step forward with new resolve,” the PM further said.
The PM further stated that during his speech at the Red Fort this year, he asked the youth to come forward for the talent hunt campaign with Olympics in mind.
“Friends, we do not view sports merely as a few national and international events. For us, sports are also a powerful medium for personality development and nation-building.
“It is sports that teach the youth how to win after facing defeat and explain the true meaning of discipline and team spirit. Friends, with this very vision, we are building a modern sports ecosystem for the country. Campaigns are being carried out across the nation at both the school and grassroots levels.
“A large number of Khelo India centres have been established. We also launched the TOPS so that athletes receive Olympic-level training. Keeping the Olympics in mind, this time from the Red Fort, I called upon the youth to step forward in a nationwide talent hunt campaign,” he added.
(IANS)
