Addressing the youth virtually during the Khelo India Dialogue, PM Modi linked the legacy of the legendary hockey player with the enduring sporting relationship between India and New Zealand, while noting that he had remembered Dhyan Chand during his recent visit to the country.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cNational Sports Day is also an occasion to remember Major Dhyan Chand. A hundred years ago, India\u2019s hockey team toured New Zealand, and Dhyan Chand ji was part of that tour. That tour became the foundation for completing 100 years of sports relations between India and New Zealand. A few days ago, when I visited New Zealand, I remembered him there as well. Major Dhyan Chand ji laid the foundation for these ties, and today India continues to work towards strengthening and enriching those relations,\u201d PM Modi said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Prime Minister said the significance of sport extended well beyond medal counts, placing it in the broader context of India's development and the role of its young population.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen I talk about sports, it is not restricted to winning medals. It is an endeavour to bring together India\u2019s sporting power and its youth power in the making of a Viksit Bharat. I have always said, Those who play will flourish, and flourishing through sport does not simply mean winning on the field. It means the flourishing of one\u2019s personality, the flourishing of one\u2019s family, and bringing greater pride to the nation,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Prime Minister said the significance of sport extended well beyond medal counts, placing it in the broader context of India's development and the role of its young population.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen a sportsperson succeeds, that success is not theirs alone. Their success builds the identity and enhances the prestige of their family. It also raises the reputation of the school or college they studied at, and strengthens the identity of their district and state. The world begins to recognise a city or state by the name of that sportsperson. And when a region shines on the global map through many such successes, the world\u2019s perception of that region also changes. Every district has the potential to shine on the world\u2019s sports map,\u201d the Prime Minister said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n