Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed confidence that India's Olympic-bound contingent will make the country proud and fulfill the aspirations of 1.4 billion people during his statement on Thursday. (More Sports News)
With a contingent of nearly 120 athletes, the Indian team sets its sights on surpassing its medal count from the Tokyo Games, where Neeraj Chopra's javelin throw victory was a highlight.
"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 give hope to 140 crore Indians," the Prime Minister posted on 'X' after meeting a large contingent of Paris-bound athletes that included shooters, archers, track and field athletes and support staff.
PM Modi met with a few Olympic-bound athletes in Delhi, including star shooter Manu Bhaker, Aishwary Tomar, and Anjum Moudgil. Also present were Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh.
Indian sporting stars Neeraj Chopra, world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen and two-time Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu virtually participated in this pep talk to boost morale.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, and Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha were also present during the meet.
The PM shared images of himself with the athletes and support staff, which included badminton coach Pullela Gopichand and shooting sport high-performance director Pierre Beauchamp, among others.
Earlier in the day, the PM also welcomed the Rohit Sharma-led side, who clinched the T20 World Cup by defeating South Africa last week. The team arrived in Delhi early morning after being stranded in Bridgetown, Barbados, due to a category 4 hurricane.
Modi mentioned having a memorable conversation with the members of the T20 World Cup-winning team, discussing their journey at the recently-concluded ICC event in the USA and the Caribbean.
