Tokiyo Olympics: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of India’s Olympic preparations on Friday and also announced an interaction with the country’s Tokyo-bound sportspersons on July 13, three days before the first batch departs for the Japanese capital.
The interaction with the athletes will be held virtually owing to the COVID-19 situation.
“Hon’ble PM Shri narendramodi will interact with #Tokiyo Olympics bound athletes to motivate them ahead of their participation in the forthcoming Games, which will be held from 23 July to 8th August 2021,” the government’s citizen engagement platform, MyGovIndia, posted on its twitter page.
“The interaction by the Prime Minister is an endeavour to motivate the athletes ahead of their participation at the games. He had recently reviewed the preparations for facilitation of India’s contingent at Tokyo-2020,” stated an official release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Recently, Prime Minister Modi had 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 event will be attended by Anurag Thakur, Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports; Nisith Pramanik, MoS Youth Affairs and Sports and Kiren Rijiju, Law Minister.
The first batch of India’s Olympic-bound athletes will depart for Tokyo in a charter Air India flight on July 17.
More than 120 athletes are bound for the Games, even though the Indian Olympic Association is yet to officially divulge the strength of the contingent.
In view of the raging COVID-19 cases, the Tokyo Olympics will be held under a state of emergency in Japan without spectators from July 23 to August 8.
Legendary boxer MC Mary Kom and Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh will be the joint flag-bearers for Indian at the Games, the Indian Olympic Association had announced a few days back.
