New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address young athletes and youth leaders on Thursday as part of a nationwide initiative, ‘Khelo India Dialogue – Khel Ki Baat, Pradhan Mantri Modi Ke Saath’.
This event will be held across more than 1,500 educational institutions virtually to mark National Sports Day 2026.
The large-scale youth engagement programme will bring together budding athletes, students, policymakers and leading sportspersons, creating a platform for young participants to share ideas to strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem and expand opportunities for the country’s youth.
The virtual address by the Prime Minister will be followed by physical programmes held simultaneously at participating institutions across the country. IITs, IIMs, NITs, AIIMS, leading medical colleges and universities are among the institutions expected to take part.
The initiative will focus on four broad areas — strengthening grassroots sports infrastructure, coaching and competitive opportunities; identifying and developing talent with an eye on the 2036 Olympics; increasing youth participation in governance and leadership; and equipping young people with future-ready skills, volunteering opportunities and avenues for nation-building.
A key component of the programme will be interaction between young participants and some of India’s leading athletes and medal winners. Sportspersons, including Deepa Karmakar, Saina Nehwal, Gagan Narang, Sreejesh, Mary Kom, Baichung Bhutia, Pullela Gopichand, Anju Bobby George, Karnam Malleswari, Mirabai Chanu, and P.T. Usha, are set to engage with the youth and discuss their journeys, challenges, and experiences in sport.
The programme will also extend the conversation beyond the sporting community. Members of Parliament, MLAs, Union Ministers, Ministers of State and State Sports Ministers will participate at various locations and interact with young people on the four identified themes.
The focus on talent development is expected to tie into India’s longer-term ambitions for the 2036 Olympics, with discussions centred on scientific talent identification, athlete development and creating stronger pathways for young athletes to progress from the grassroots to the elite level.
The organisers also plan to use the event to encourage sustained youth participation beyond National Sports Day. Participants will be encouraged to participate in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue Quiz and to register on the MY Bharat Portal.
By bringing athletes, students, policymakers and elected representatives onto a common platform, the initiative aims to give young people a more direct role in discussions around India’s sporting future and broader youth development.
(IANS)
