As the Indian contingent prepares to depart for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the athletes on Thursday to encourage them ahead of the July 26 games.
“I interacted with our contingent heading to Paris for the Olympics. I am confident our athletes will give their best and make India proud. Their life journeys and success inspire 140 crore Indians,” the Prime Minister shared on X.
During the meeting, PM Modi reiterated his desire for India to host the 2036 Olympics, urging the athletes to gather insights that could strengthen the country’s bid for the games. He engaged with athletes across various disciplines, including stars like PV Sindhu and Neeraj Chopra, as well as Olympic newcomers such as Kishore Jena and Parul Chaudhary.
Sindhu expressed her determination, saying, “This will be my third time representing India at the Olympics. I won a silver medal in 2016 and a bronze in 2020. I hope to change the color of the medal this year… I’m aiming for another medal.”
The Prime Minister also highlighted the new sports India will participate in at the Paris Olympics. “In shooting, our players’ talent is shining. Both men’s and women’s teams have qualified in table tennis. Our female shooters are part of the Indian shotgun team, and our team will compete in wrestling and equestrian events in categories we’ve never entered before.”
He praised India’s historic performance at this year’s World Para Athletics Championships, where the nation won 17 medals, including six golds, five silvers, and six bronzes. “A few months ago, we achieved our best-ever performance in the World Para Athletics Championships. Our players have also excelled in chess and badminton. Now, the entire nation hopes our athletes will perform well in the Olympics, win medals, and win the hearts of the countrymen,” the Prime Minister added.
India aims to surpass its tally of seven medals from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which included one gold, two silvers, and four bronzes.
“I’m excited to welcome you back after your victories,” the Prime Minister said. “I regularly meet with our sports stars to learn from them and understand their efforts. As a government, I work to make necessary changes and improvements to support their success.”
This year has been remarkable for Indian athletes, with 17-year-old chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju making history in April by winning the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament 2024, becoming the youngest challenger to the world title held by Ding Liren after an exhilarating final in Toronto.
