Will keep the honor of the tricolor high in Tokyo: Thakur
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur while congratulating the players at a function before their departure at Indira Gandhi Airport last night appealed to them to give their best in the Tokyo Olympics and keep the tricolour’s prestige high.
The Sports Minister flagged off the first batch of athletes from India to Tokyo at a ceremonial farewell ceremony held at the capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The total 88-member contingent, which includes 54 athletes, support staff and representatives of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), was formally sent off by Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur and Minister of State for Sports Nisith Pramanik at a ceremony. He was accompanied by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Dhruv Batra, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary General Rajeev Mehta and Sports Authority of India Director General Sandeep Pradhan.
Anurag Thakur said on this occasion, when you come to represent the country in tournaments, the whole country will stand behind you. Don’t take any burden on yourself. This opportunity does not come in everyone’s life. You are the lucky few who will represent the country in the Olympics. I hope that all of you will keep the honor of the tricolor high in Tokyo.
Pramanik said on this occasion, “All of you are going to Tokyo to represent our country, at such a time the best wishes of crores of countrymen are with you and I hope you will make the country proud in the world.”
IOA President Dr Batra also extended his best wishes to the players while Rajeev Mehta on the occasion demanded from the Sports Minister and IOA President that they should announce some prize money to boost the enthusiasm of the players. Although Batra said on this that Mehta ji always puts him in such a religious crisis but he will not say anything on this issue right now. Batra also told the players, you come to the Olympics by doing your best, only then something can be done on this matter.
Players and support staff from eight sports – Archery, Hockey, Badminton, Table Tennis, Archery, Judo, Gymnastics and Weightlifting – will depart from New Delhi today. In this, the hockey team will be the largest. The men’s and women’s hockey teams have left for Delhi from Bangalore Sai Center and reached Delhi airport in the evening where the people present applauded them.
A total of 127 Indian athletes have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, which is a record, surpassing the number of 117 athletes who have qualified for the Rio Olympics.
