Gujarat: Jaishankar inaugurates gymnastic hall at Chhotubhai Purani Sports Campus

RAJPIPLA (Gujarat): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated the gymnastic hall at Chhotubhai Purani Sports Campus in Rajpipla, Gujarat, on Tuesday.

“I came here about two years ago, and I felt that this is a very old organization, and its name is famous. People came to me and said that if you improve the facilities, then the children’s and public response will increase”, Jaishankar said.

“You see what facilities have been created, and the result you see is that even the small children come here. Sports start from a very young age. And what you see is that girl on the trampoline who is there, or these other people are doing their thing,” he added.

#WATCH | Narmada, Gujarat: EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “… This sports campus is very old, and I thought it has a lot of potential. People here were interested and came to me requesting an improvement in facilities here. As part of MPLADS, we tried to make it better… Kids come… https://t.co/UPC3B99kw5 pic.twitter.com/ctpY2lroOj

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2025

He emphasized the importance of supporting natural sporting talent from the grassroots level, particularly focusing on the natural talent found in tribal communities.

He also said that the Khelo India and Fit India initiative is a crucial step in identifying and supporting these talents, providing opportunities for them to emerge and showcase their abilities. He added that the positive results of this initiative are evident in the increased opportunities for children to do so.

“So you know that Khelo India Fit India is our effort. This is the effort of the Modi government to enhance our sporting talent in India. Sporting talent is made from the grassroots and we have come to a place where there is natural talent. Here you know that Tribal people are very naturally fit. One of their abilities is that I would say more than capability, that’s talent. And believe in how to make them emerge, how to give them opportunities, so I think this is a small example of how I see what I see and feel very good about. If you do something now, the result is visible immediately when you see that an opportunity is given in someone’s life or for any child to reveal their talent,”

#WATCH | Narmada, Gujarat | EAM Dr S Jaishankar inaugurated the newly built Gymnastics Hall at Chhotubhai Purani Sports Campus in Rajpipla. pic.twitter.com/SNhNRxKtFY

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2025

He talked about his conversation with the coaches about how to take it forward and how to improve the facility here. He also highlighted how success in national and international competitions starts with grassroots development.

He further stated that India has the potential to excel in various sports, not just those traditionally associated with the country. He also connected fitness and health to the nation’s overall development, emphasizing the importance of a “fit India” for a prosperous future.

“So I talked with the coaches who are there today about how to take it forward and how to improve the facility here, and I would definitely like to do it. I think that they will be able to go ahead and see them in the National International. See, everything happens somewhere like this, in every sport, it starts from the local level, and that is what it is today. There is no such sport in India where we do not have the ability, even in athletics or gymnastics, we can do something in every sport, and if you look at the Olympics, we will see in the Asian Games where our people are doing well today. Nobody expected to do it in athletics or gymnastics. Now we are going beyond the very limited definition of sports. Yes, and one more thing about the prestige of India is that it is about how we keep the whole society fit because it is a matter of talent, but it is a matter of health that if we should have a developed India, a fit India,” he added.

The Central Government’s Khelo India Games initiative has become a transformative force in fostering a strong sporting culture across the nation. The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grassroots level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establishing India as a great sporting nation. (ANI)