New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with the Indian athletes’ contingent bound for Tokyo Olympics on July 13 at 1700 hrs via video conferencing. The interaction by the Prime Minister is an endeavour to motivate the athletes ahead of their participation at the games, an official said.

PM Modi had recently reviewed the preparations for facilitation of India’s contingent at Tokyo-2020 and also discussed the inspirational journeys of some of the athletes on Mann Ki Baat, besides urging the nation to come forward and wholeheartedly support them. The Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, Minister of State Nisith Pramanik and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju will also be participating in this interaction.

Before the reshuffle of the Council of Ministers on July 7, Mr Rijiju was the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports. The Tokyo Olympics to begin on July 23.A total of 126 athletes across 18 sports disciplines from India will be heading to Tokyo. This is the biggest-ever contingent India is sending to any Olympics. The 69 cumulative events across the 18 sport disciplines that India will participate in.

For the first time in its history, a Fencer from India Ms Bhavani Devi has qualified for the Olympic Games while Nethra Kumanan is the first-ever female Sailor from India to qualify for an Olympic Games. Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj are the first Swimmers from India to qualify for an Olympic Games by achieving the ‘A’ Qualification Standard in Swimming.

(EW News Desk)