Prez, PM pay tributes to Vajpayee at his memorial 'Sadaiv Atal'
New Delhi (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who attended a prayer ceremony at 'Sadaiv Atal', the memorial of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Thursday to pay tributes to him on his 101st birth anniversary.
Former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers J P Nadda, Nirmala Sitharaman, NDA ally JD-U leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, several other ministers, MPs, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and BJP working president Nitin Nabin were among those who attended the event.
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In a message, the prime minister said Vajpayee's personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-around development of the nation. He said Vajpayee dedicated his entire life to good governance and nation-building.
"He will always be remembered as a brilliant orator as well as a spirited poet. Vajpayee's personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-around development of the nation," PM Modi said.
Vajpayee was born on this day in Gwalior in 1924 and passed away in New Delhi on August 16, 2018. The government observes his birth anniversary as Good Governance Day.
The BJP marked the day by its leaders commemorating Vajpayee's legacy in nationwide events. Its chief ministers, Union ministers and MPs, besides organisational leaders, are part of these programmes held across the country.
Vajpayee, India's 13th prime minister, served the country for three terms between 1996 and 2004.
He is known for his valuable contribution to India's economic growth. The 'Operation Vijay', commonly known as the Kargil War, was fought against Pakistan and won during his tenure as prime minister. He made India a nuclear weapons power.
He had a distinguished four-decade parliamentary career, was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha and twice to the Rajya Sabha.
Rising from humble beginnings in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) to the post of prime minister, he received the Padma Vibhushan in 1992 for his selfless dedication to the nation and was conferred with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2015.
Vajpayee championed democratic ideals, women's empowerment, and social equality.
As prime minister, he prioritised good governance and economic development, building national highways, rural roads, expanding telecom, and improving infrastructure.
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Nepotism that existed in sports before 2014 has ended; now poor can rise to top levels: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said irregularities in team selection and sports that often happened before 2014 came to an end a decade ago, and now children from even the poorest families can rise to the top levels purely through hard work and talent.
Addressing the 'Sansad Khel Mahotsav', a sports and fitness festival aimed at promoting a sporting culture and leadership among the youth, PM Modi said the scale of the Mahotsav is as vast as its impact.
Through this initiative, he said, the nation is discovering thousands of talented sportspersons.
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"The festival is steadily emerging as a strong pillar of youth empowerment and nation-building. Another special aspect of the 'Sansad Khel Mahotsav' is the way it is playing a transformative role in changing societal mindsets," he said.
The prime minister said that before 2014, irregularities in team selection and sports infrastructure often took place in sports.
"Today, those practices have come to an end. Even children from the poorest families can now rise to the highest levels purely through hard work and talent," he said.
PM Modi also referred to the allocation of more than Rs 3000 crore for the country's sports budget, which was less than Rs 1200 crore before 2014.
He said that through a special scheme, athletes are being provided monthly financial assistance ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 each.
"Today, I want to tell every athlete of the country that you are not just playing for your own victory, you are playing for the country, you are playing for the honour and dignity of the tricolour," he said.
The prime minister also requested all parents to encourage their children to take part in sports and give them opportunities to participate in sporting activities.
Sports is not just a part of learning, it is also important for a healthy body and a healthy mind, he said.
Describing how sports culture is growing in the country, the prime minister said that from every corner of the country, inspiring examples are emerging that motivate the nation.
He said that in some places, differently abled athletes are defying limitations and reaching new heights, while on sports grounds elsewhere, young girls are striving tirelessly to turn their dreams into reality.
"Today, India's athletes are breaking records, setting new benchmarks, and taking India to new heights on the global sporting map," he said.
PM Modi said that until a few years ago, family members would scold and reprimand the child for playing too much as it was then considered a waste of time. Today, he said, society, and even parents, have realised that playing does not ruin one's life.
"Now they understand that their children, by excelling in sports, can change not only their own and their family's fate, but also that of the entire village and society. Today, opportunities in sports are not limited, but unlimited," he said.
The prime minister said that in 2030, India will host the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and then the eyes of the entire world will be on India. "Not only that, India is also making efforts to host the biggest sports event, that is, the Olympics, in 2036," he said.
The 'Sansad Khel Mahotsav' is a sports and fitness festival aimed at promoting a sporting culture and leadership among the youth. A key objective is to bring the community together through sports and fitness and to take the message of 'Fit India' to every home.
The festival features a three-level competition, including games at the village, block/ward, and parliamentary constituency levels.
The sports categories include traditional games, football, volleyball, and cricket. The event also includes fun activities like tug of war, lemon spoon race, and sack races to ensure wider participation.
