New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday underlined the remarkable progress India is making in the field of sports, drawing attention to the successful organisation of the Royal Premier League and the ‘Khelo India Water Sports Festival,’ both hosted in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking during the 125th episode of his monthly radio address, ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the Prime Minister said, “Amidst the devastation caused by floods and rains, Jammu and Kashmir has also achieved some remarkable milestones that have gone largely unnoticed. Once you learn about them, you will feel immense joy. In J&K’s Pulwama, a record number of people gathered at a stadium to witness the first-ever day-night cricket match in the region, a feat previously thought impossible.”
He noted that the match formed part of the Royal Premier League, which featured multiple teams from across Jammu and Kashmir.
“Thousands of people, especially youth, enjoying cricket at night in Pulwama — it was a sight to behold,” he added.
The Prime Minister also lauded the country’s first-ever ‘Khelo India Water Sports Festival’, hosted at Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake.
“Truly, what a special space to host a festival like this. Its objective is to make water sports more popular in J&K. More than 800 athletes from all over India participated in it. Women athletes were not far behind; their participation was nearly equal to men,” he said.
Congratulating the participants, PM Modi noted that athletes from Madhya Pradesh secured the highest number of medals, followed by those from Haryana and Odisha.
“I appreciate the warmth and hospitality of the government of Jammu and Kashmir and the people living there,” he added.
The Prime Minister also shared his interactions with two athletes who took part in the water sports festival — Rashmita Sahoo from Odisha and Mohsin Ali from Srinagar.
Congratulating Rashmita on her achievements, he asked her to share her sporting journey. Rashmita said she began her career in 2017 with canoeing and has since participated in several national-level championships, winning an aggregate impressive 41 medals, including 13 gold, 14 silver, and 14 bronze.
Turning to Mohsin Ali, PM Modi congratulated him for winning a gold medal at the festival. Mohsin said that people across Kashmir were proud of his victory and expressed happiness over hosting participants from different states. He also highlighted that visitors appreciated the warmth and hospitality of the Kashmiri people.
Mohsin also thanked the Modi government for encouraging the youth in the union territory to take a lead in sports.