UP has 25% of India’s Asian medals and has transformed its sports culture in ten years: Adityanath Yogi

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath praised the Times Group on Friday for bringing The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) to the city and said that the state’s sports culture and athletes’ achievements had changed significantly over the last ten years.

“I just returned from Varanasi, but I decided to come here as soon as I learned about TOISA, where notable athletes are honored.
“Sportspeople are coming to this event being held in the state capital, and I would be there to greet them, either directly or indirectly,” the CM said.

As the main guest for the occasion, Yogi emphasized the disparity between the sports culture in Uttar Pradesh and the state’s success during the previous ten years. He also said that athletes from Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 16% of the nation’s population, earned 25% of India’s medals at the Asian Games. “In the past, there were more people, but fewer medals. It’s the opposite way around now,” he said.
The chief minister attributed the shift in the nation’s sports culture to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the Kho India campaign got underway with his approval.
“The UP government is opening a playground in every village under the new sports policy.”

In every parliamentary constituency, Sansad Khel Pratiyogita is conducted, and Khelo India centers have been set up in every district. The state government has established favorable conditions in order to support the burgeoning sports culture in the state. Sport is now a chance to demonstrate one’s abilities and the might of one’s state or nation to the rest of the world, rather than just a way to spend time. Everyone can see the outcomes of the initiatives put in place to promote sports,” he said.

The chief minister listed the measures the state government has made to back the Centre’s objectives. He said that cricketer Mohd Shami’s father was more pleased than Shami himself because a stadium was being constructed in his village. “Athletes inspire young people and compete for the good of the nation and society. Young athletes are inspired by Parul Chaudhary when she talks about Uttar Pradesh and wins an Asian Games gold medal, according to Yogi.
“While sportspersons are performing for the country, it is essential to ask what the govt can do for them,” he said.

“The UP Sports Policy was created while considering ways to include Olympic champion Lalit Upadhyay in the government. We were able to incorporate our players in the government thanks to the new policy. We just appointed 500 people to different jobs and 10 medal winners as gazetted officials,” the CM said.
According to Yogi, the UP government was creating playgrounds in every village, mini-stadia and gyms in every development block, and stadiums in every district as part of the new program.

“We’re also making sports hotels stronger. We have included a provision for Khelo India centers in all development centers where athletes would be employed as instructors in the most recent budget so that society may benefit from their expertise and experience,” the speaker said. “The first sports university in Uttar Pradesh is being established in Meerut, and it will bear Major Dhyanchand’s name, the hockey great.

The ‘one district, one product’ (ODOP) initiative has chosen Meerut to market its traditional sports items.
“I promise that the UP government will do every reasonable effort to support any sports-related initiative. We’ll continue to polish our young people’s talents,” he said.