Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says sports and education must go hand in hand; youth participation seen as key to Viksit Bharat vision

Key Highlights

• Students at Mata Sundari College seek stronger sports infrastructure and coaching in rural and remote areas.
• Suggestions include sports psychology, stress management and emotional coaching at Khelo India Centres.
• Students call for grants, equipment rental and affordable local training centres for economically weaker athletes.
• Government reiterates focus on athlete preparation, nutrition, mental health and wider sporting opportunities.
• Union Minister administers a Drug-Free India pledge to participating students.

Students put forward proposals to strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem

New Delhi: Strengthening sports infrastructure, improving mental health support for athletes and expanding opportunities for young people in rural areas emerged as key themes at the Khelo India Samvaad – Khel Ki Baat PM Modi Ke Saath programme held at Mata Sundari College for Women in Delhi.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan interacted with students during the programme, organised in collaboration with MY Bharat. The nationwide initiative was held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest.

The interaction provided students an open platform to share suggestions on strengthening India’s sports ecosystem and increasing youth participation in the country’s development.

Sports and education need to move together

Chouhan highlighted the importance of integrating sports with education, saying sporting activities contribute to discipline, confidence, resilience and overall personality development.

He stressed that sports should be viewed as an important part of holistic education rather than as a separate activity.

The Minister also said the government would consider suggestions from young people and make changes in policies and implementation wherever feasible.

Sports psychology and mental health emerge as priorities

One of the major suggestions from students was the introduction of regular sports psychology modules at Khelo India Centres and government sports academies.

The proposed modules could cover stress management, meditation, motivation, performance pressure, coping with failure and emotional coaching.

Students also called for greater attention to mental health and nutrition alongside physical training, highlighting the growing importance of comprehensive athlete support as India’s sporting ambitions expand.

Rural and remote athletes seek greater access

Students called for stronger sports development in rural and remote areas, where aspiring athletes often face limitations related to infrastructure, equipment, coaching and access to competitive opportunities.

Suggestions included affordable sports equipment, trained coaches, awareness programmes and career guidance.

To address financial barriers, students proposed grants, equipment rental facilities and local training centres that could enable economically weaker students to participate in sports of their choice.

Parents and teachers urged to support young athletes

Students also highlighted the role of families and educational institutions in supporting sporting talent.

They proposed workshops to sensitise parents and teachers about the importance of encouraging young athletes and balancing sporting ambitions with academic responsibilities.

Chouhan appreciated the suggestions and said feasible proposals would be forwarded to the relevant departments for further consideration. He also assured students that attention would be given to mental health, nutrition and sports development in rural areas.

Drug-Free India pledge administered to students

During the programme, Chouhan administered the Drug-Free India pledge to participating students, stressing that healthy and fit youth are among the country’s greatest strengths.

He also highlighted the government’s continued efforts to strengthen preparations for national and international sporting competitions and provide athletes with better opportunities.

Impact on hospitality, travel and tourism

The expansion of India’s sports ecosystem could create opportunities for the hospitality and tourism industries, particularly as more sporting events, training programmes and youth competitions are organised across the country.

Improved sports infrastructure in smaller cities and rural regions could generate demand for hotels, accommodation, food services, transport and local tourism during tournaments, training camps and sporting events.

Greater investment in grassroots sports could also support the development of sports tourism, with destinations hosting competitions attracting athletes, coaches, families and spectators.

For the hospitality sector, sports academies and training centres can create recurring demand for accommodation and food services, while large tournaments can deliver short-term increases in room occupancy and visitor spending.

The emphasis on nutrition and athlete wellness could additionally create opportunities for hotels, resorts and foodservice operators to develop sports-focused menus, healthy dining options and wellness-oriented hospitality services.

With youth participation and sporting infrastructure being positioned as important components of India’s development agenda, the Khelo India programme could increasingly become a driver not only for sporting talent but also for domestic travel, destination development and sports-led hospitality demand.