NEW DELHI: Highlighting India’s growing stature as a global sporting nation, leading athletes Rupinder Pal Singh and Rohit Tokas welcomed the country’s successful bid to host the Commonwealth Games 2030, calling it a major milestone that will accelerate sports development nationwide. Their remarks came in a statement issued by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Rupinder, a member of India’s historic Olympic bronze medal-winning hockey team at Tokyo 2020, credited the collective efforts of the Government of India, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and National Sports Federations for securing hosting rights after a gap of 20 years. He noted that the event would act as a catalyst in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of India hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics.
“The Commonwealth Games returning to India is big news for sports persons. Competing in front of home fans is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Rupinder said, recalling India’s 100-medal haul at the 2010 Delhi edition and expressing confidence that athletes could repeat a similar performance in 2030. He also hoped that disciplines like hockey and shooting — dropped from the Birmingham Games programme — would return, further boosting India’s medal prospects.
Rupinder was speaking after leading a large cycling group at the Fit India Sunday Cycle event at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. The 62nd edition of the nationwide cycling movement was conducted across more than 1,000 locations in collaboration with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), which is celebrating 75 years of service. The event in Delhi saw participation from over 500 people, including senior officials and Fit India ambassadors.
Emphasising the importance of an active lifestyle, Rupinder urged citizens to dedicate at least 30-60 minutes daily to fitness, particularly amid rising lifestyle-related health concerns.
Meanwhile, boxer Rohit Tokas, a bronze medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, said hosting the 2030 edition would significantly enhance sports infrastructure and inspire more youth to pursue careers in sports.
