Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interacted with India's Tokyo Olympics-bound contingent and listened to athletes' inspiring stories ahead of the showpiece. Modi asked the athletes to not be bogged down by expectations and give their best shot at the Games.
Archers Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, sprinter Dutee Chand, veteran boxer MC Mary Kom, star shuttler PV Sindhu, tennis ace Sania Mirza and paddlers Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra were some of the athletes who featured in the virtual interaction.
PM Modi extended best wishes to them ahead of the Games in Tokyo, beginning from July 23. He also had a word with the athletes' parents during the course of the interaction.
Modi told star archer Deepika that the nation is pinning down its hopes on her. You're world number 1 now. Your journey is very special," Modi said. "My journey has been good from the beginning, I started with bamboo bow and then moved to modern bow gradually," Kumari said in reply.
"...There are expectations, but one expects the most from oneself. So, I am focusing on my practice and the way in which I will perform," she added.
Modi also asked boxing icon Mary Kom to name her favourite athlete. In reply, she named boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, as her inspiration. Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh have been named India's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
Sprinter Dutee Chand said, "I have three sisters and one brother and people used to tell my mother why she was giving birth to so many girls. We had little food to eat and my father's income was also very low. I was thinking if I play well I can get a good job in the government sector."
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra said, "Sir, I have always been a big fan of the Indian Army. I played for 5-6 years before I was asked to join the Army and I have been focussing on my game since then. The Army and the Indian government is providing me with every facility that I need and I'm giving it my all."
Modi, further, also spoke to the parents of PV Sindhu and lauded them for backing their daughter during her journey to success.
Modi also asked Sindhu about restrictions in her diet and how coach Gopichand took away her phone and prevented her from having ice cream during Rio Olympics. "I am sure you will achieve success this time too," the Prime Minister told Sindhu.
"I am confident that you will make India proud by scaling new heights," Modi further said to all the athletes.
Meanwhile, IOA President Narinder Batra also confirmed that the Indian Olympic contingent to be 228-strong. "The total Indian contingent for Tokyo Olympics will be 228. There will be 67 male athletes and 52 female athletes. We are fighting for 85 medal events," Batra said in the virtual interaction.
Union sports and youth affairs minister Anurag Thakur, minister of state Nisith Pramanik and law minister Kiren Rijiju were also a part of the interaction.
Earlier this month, PM Modi had reviewed preparations for facilitation of India's contingent at the Tokyo Olympics and discussed "the logistical details, their vaccination status, the multi-disciplinary support being given."
The first batch of the Indian contingent will depart for Tokyo on July 17 via a charter flight. The contingent will feature more than 120 athletes at the showpiece.
With rising concern over the pandemic in Japan, the Tokyo Olympics will be held under a state of emergency in Japan without spectators from July 23 to August 8.
