New Delhi [India], August 24 : Officials of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and My Yuva Bharat, departments under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, on Monday held a press conference to highlight the upcoming programme "Khel Ki Baat, PM Ke Saath", being organised from 27 to 29 August to mark National Sports Day.
Addressing the media, Dhruv Dogra, Deputy Director, My Bharat, Kangra, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, said National Sports Day is celebrated every year on August 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.
He said that this year, the celebrations will be held from August 27 to 29, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to virtually interact with young players and youth across the country on August 27 from around 11:50 am.
As part of the programme, youth and sportspersons from Kangra and Chamba will get an opportunity to interact with the Prime Minister through digital platforms. Four players, two each from Kangra and Chamba, will participate in the virtual interaction from Kangra.
Dhruv Dogra said the programme aims to highlight the transformation witnessed in the country's sports sector over the past 12 years and provide young people with an opportunity to share their ideas and experiences directly with the Prime Minister.
He said Prime Minister Modi will connect live with youth at around 1,400 locations across the country through a two-way communication platform. In Kangra district, three institutions have been mapped for the programme: National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kangra; Rajiv Gandhi Government Engineering College, Nagrota Bagwan; and Central Sanskrit University, Dehra.
At all three institutions, youth will participate in two-way digital interaction with the Prime Minister. During the interaction, the Prime Minister is also expected to discuss India's sports policies, developments in the sports sector and the role of youth in taking the country's sporting achievements forward.
JP Shani, Assistant Director, Sports Authority of India (SAI), said the National Sports Day celebrations will also focus on connecting young people with senior and accomplished sportspersons. Various activities are being organised to motivate youth towards sports and to familiarise them with the achievements and experiences of India's sporting personalities.
The officials said the three-day programme will provide a platform for young people to understand the country's changing sporting landscape, interact with sporting achievers and share their own ideas and aspirations.
The celebrations will culminate on August 29, National Sports Day, observed in honour of Major Dhyan Chand, one of India's greatest sporting icons.