PM declares open 3rd edition of Khelo India University Games

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone on the organization of Khelo India University Games 2023 and said that Uttar Pradesh has become a confluence of sporting talent today. The Prime Minister noted that the 4000 athletes that are taking part in the Khelo India University Games have come from different states and regions and especially welcomed them as a Member of Parliament from the state.

He expressed delight that the closing ceremony of the event will take place in Varanasi which is his constituency. Observing the importance of organizing the third edition of the  Khelo India University Games when India is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Prime Minister said that the event has become an excellent medium to inculcate the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ along with team spirit.

The Prime Minister said that in the last 9 years a new era of sports started in India which is not just about making India a big power in sports but also is an era of empowering society through the medium of sports.

The Prime Minister recalled scams surrounding the Commonwealth Games in India as an example of the attitude of the earlier governments towards sport. He also talked about the lack of sincerity in the schemes like Panchayat Yuva Kreeda aur Khel Abhiyan which was later named as Rajiv Gandhi Abhiyan. Shri Modi lamented the absence of sports infrastructure in earlier times. All this is changing, he said.