UP building national leadership with new sports culture: CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that in recent years, sports in Uttar Pradesh and the country have received a new vision, new resources, and new confidence.

“The emerging ‘new sports culture,’ under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has strengthened discipline, fitness, and team spirit among the youth. Now, sports are not just a hobby, but a powerful medium for personality development and nation-building,” he said.

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He said that due to modern sports infrastructure, transparent selection processes, and schemes running in mission mode, opportunities for young players have increased. Competitions have been expanded from the village panchayat level to the national level. As a result, players from UP are participating in and winning many more medals in international competitions than before.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 72nd Senior National Volleyball Championship at Dr. Sampurnanand Sports Stadium in Sigra. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present at the venue. He also addressed the players and spectators there.

In the presence of the CM, an MoU was exchanged between the Sports Authority of India and the Uttar Pradesh Sports Directorate for the operation of the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE). CM Yogi welcomed all 58 teams (30 men’s and 28 women’s), players, coaches, and officials who had come to Kashi.

CM Yogi said that in the last 11-11.5 years, every Indian has witnessed the flourishing of a new sports culture in the country. “Prime Minister Modi, through the Khelo India Khelo initiative in 2014, instilled a sense of respect for sports in the hearts of every Indian. He conveyed the message that sports should be a means of holistic development in life. All dimensions of success can be achieved only through a healthy body. Through Khelo India Khelo, the Fit India Movement, the MP Sports Competition, and the development of sports infrastructure in every district, the entire country is experiencing a new sports culture,” he said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “We have promoted sports in Uttar Pradesh through the MP-MLA Sports Competition and various rural sports competitions.”

The CM said that the Senior National Volleyball Championship is being organised in Varanasi by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation after 43 years. He said the event is a result of the inspiration, guidance, and leadership of Prime Minister Modi. He said that modern sports infrastructure has been developed in the state and the country. The state-of-the-art infrastructure visible at the Sampurnanand Sports Stadium is also a result of PM Modi’s vision. These facilities have been developed under the Smart City project. Now, under the MoU signed between the UP government and SAI (Sports Authority of India), a new platform will be available for training players under the guidance of SAI and its coaches.

CM Yogi said that in the last eight to eight-and-a-half years, efforts had been made to promote sports competitions in Uttar Pradesh. He said the construction of playgrounds in every village, stadiums in every district, mini-stadiums at the block level and open gyms had been prioritised in works undertaken by urban local bodies and gram panchayats, along with efforts to promote sports activities at every level.

He said that as a result, players from the state were participating in national, Olympic, Commonwealth and international championships and winning far more medals than before.