On winning the bronze medal for India at the Paris Olympics, Union Sports Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse, felicitated Sarabjot Singh, along with five shooters upon their return to the country.
Sarabjot Singh was awarded a cheque of Rs 22.5 lakh by Dr. Mandaviya as part of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports’ cash award scheme.
The event also honoured the contributions of Arjun Babuta, Ramita Jindal, Rhythm Sangwan, Sandeep Singh, and Arjun Singh Cheema, as well as their coaches Suma Shirur, Samaresh Jung, and Sarabjot’s coach Abhishek Rana. Notably, Arjun Babuta narrowly missed a podium finish, coming in 4th in the men’s 10 m air rifle event.
The praise to Sarabjot and other shooters
Dr. mandviya said, “Each of you is a champion. I know it was hard for some of you to come to terms with the fact that you missed the medal by a whisker, but don’t let that loss lessen your passion for the game. Instead, let it fuel your motivation to excel in future competitions.”
Impact of Khelo India
“This time, out of 117 athletes, 70 are participating in the Olympics for the first time, showcasing the emergence of new talent in our country. Out of these 117 athletes, 28 have come from Khelo India and are now part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. This means that from grassroots-level to elite-level, they have performed consistently and received support from both schemes.” He added.
Bronze medallist Sarabjot has been a Khelo India scholarship athlete since 2019. Arjun Cheema, Rhythm Sangwan, Arjun Babuta, and Ramita have also benefited from the scheme, transitioning to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
KIRTI initiative
Dr Mandaviya elaborated on the ongoing development in the Indian sports ecosystem, stating, “Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has envisioned India to be a developed country by 2047 and sports will play a significant role in this. By 2047, India will also be among the top 5 in the world in terms of sports ecosystems.” He also mentioned initiatives like KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Initiative), which will play a crucial role in identifying future Olympians from the grassroots level.
During the interaction, the shooters shared their experiences at the Paris Olympics and praised the world-class facilities now available in India, including infrastructure, sports science, and coaching. They also highlighted the significant support from the government in their journey to the Paris Olympics.
