The Hindu: PM meets Rio-bound athletes

Mr. Modi interacted individually with the sportspersons, and wished them luck for the August 5-21 Games

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met the Indian athletes who will represent the country at the forthcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and wished them luck. At the function held at the Manekshaw Centre, Mr. Modi interacted individually with the sportspersons, and wished them luck for the August 5-21 Games.

The dignitaries who attended the function were Sports Minister Jitendra Singh, Sports Secretary Rajiv Yadav, All India Council of Sports Chairman Vijay Malhotra, IOA President N. Ramachandran, Secretary General Rajeev Mehta, Hockey India President Narinder Batra, HI Secretary General Mohammed Mushtaq Ahmed among others.

India will be sending its largest ever contingent to the Olympics this year with more than 100 athletes having already qualified in 13 sporting disciplines. The previous highest was 83 that the country sent in the 2012 Olympics in London. More athletes are likely to qualify in the coming days.

Notable athletes who met the PM were shooters Jitu Rai, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Heena Sidhu, shuttlers P.V. Sindhu, K. Srikanth, boxer Shiva Thapa, long distance runners Sudha Singh and Lalita Babar among others. The Indian women’s hockey team, along with chief coach Neil Hawgood and coach C. R. Kumar, were also in attendance. National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand and boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu were also present. During the send-off function,s the athletes were seen taking selfies with the PM.

India will be sending its largest ever contingent to the Olympics this year, with more than 100 athletes having already qualified in 13 sporting disciplines.