PM Modi Calls for ‘Playgrounds over Playstations’ at Nationwide Khelo India Dialogue

NEW DELHI: Addressing thousands of young athletes, students, and sports enthusiasts via video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide ‘Khelo India Dialogue’ on the eve of National Sports Day. Urging the nation’s youth to adopt a “playgrounds over Playstations” mindset, the Prime Minister outlined a comprehensive roadmap to expand India’s sporting ecosystem, widen its Olympic footprint, and uncover talent from the grassroots level.

Organized by Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) across more than 1,500 educational institutions nationwide, the virtual event served as an interactive platform connecting the country’s youth directly with India’s long-term sports vision. Pointing out the growing dependency on smartphones and gaming consoles, PM Modi emphasized that a true sports culture emerges only when schools and families treat daily physical activity as an essential lifestyle choice rather than just an extra-curricular requirement.

Highlighting what he referred to as a “bitter truth,” the Prime Minister pointed out that India historically fails to field contenders in over half of the event categories at the Olympic Games. To fix this gap ahead of India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games, he announced a massive nationwide talent identification campaign targeting children aged 5 to 15 across villages, towns, and schools. The initiative aims to evaluate young children not just on their personal interests, but on the specific sporting disciplines their physical attributes are naturally suited for—including emerging areas like water sports, climbing, and winter sports.

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya also addressed the event, reiterating the government’s push toward sports governance reforms, modern sports universities, and community fitness initiatives. Paying tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand ahead of National Sports Day on August 29, PM Modi urged the youth to leverage sportsmanship as a driver for discipline, resilience, and nation-building under the broader vision of a Viksit Bharat.