"I am sure they will make our country proud” - Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya expresses confidence on Indian athletes at the Paris Olympics 2024

Ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday that the Indian athletes who will take part in the event will make their nation proud with their performances.

Mandaviya was speaking at a panel discussion hosted at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium by the Delhi Sports Journalist Association (DSJA) in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to discuss India’s preparation for the Paris Olympics 2024 and Paralympic Games.

“The new age India has seen a lot of progress but this is just the beginning. By 2047, when we complete 100 years of Independence, we aspire to be among the leaders in sports in the world…” Mandaviya said.

“The journalists covering these sports are also responsible for capturing the emotions that an athlete goes through when they win a medal or even represent the country at this stage. I wish our athletes all the best for the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics, and I am sure they will make our country proud.”

117 athletes from India will represent their nation in various sports at the Paris Olympics 2024, which is scheduled to start on July 26. The summer Paralympic Games will be held in Paris from August 28 to September 8.

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Panel discussion on Paris Olympics 2024 prep attended by major athletes

The interactive session was attended by several luminaries of Indian sports history, such as Munich Olympics 1972 bronze medalist hockey team member Ashok Dhyanchand, Asian Games gold medalist double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi, Commonwealth Games gold medalist boxer Akhil Kumar, Asian Games gold medallist Archer Abhishek Verma, twice Paralympics javelin throw champion Devendra Jhajharia, and Tokyo Paralympics 2020 silver medalist discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya.

“In 2004, when I went to the Athens Paralympics [2004], I spent money from my own pocket. I went and won the gold and also broke the world record. Since then, there has been a lot of progress in Indian sports. After missing out on the 2008 and 2012 editions of the Paralympics, I returned for the 2016 Rio Olympics and clinched the gold. Now, as the president of the PCI [Paralympics Committee of India], I am 100 per cent sure that we will do very well in both the Olympics and Paralympics. Our target is to cross the 25-medal tally this time around,” Jharjharia said.

Several top officials, such as Secretary of Sports Sujata Chaturvedi and SAI DG Sandip Pradhan, also took part in the event.