New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) In a event held at the India Habitat Centre, sports alphabet booklets were launched simultaneously in 21 languages, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative focused on promoting sports literacy among children.

The programme, organised under the aegis of Sports: A Way of Life, was chaired by former Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh Governor Kalraj Mishra. The launch ceremony was attended by noted hockey player, Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Ashok Dhyanchand, along with Dr. Milind Pandey, Vice President of the organisation, and several Members of Parliament from across the country.

The concept has been developed by Kanishka Pandey, President of the organisation and a sports researcher, following more than a decade of research and experimentation aimed at fostering a sports culture in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Pandey said ,”Just as alphabets serve as the foundation of education for children, sports alphabets can act as the first step towards building an interest in sports. He added that the booklets offer a dual benefit by helping children learn letters and reading while simultaneously developing a connection with sports.”

The initiative aims to increase sports literacy, position sports and education as complementary domains, inculcate core sporting values such as discipline, leadership and decision-making at the kindergarten level, and reduce children’s dependence on mobile phones, computers and online gaming by encouraging outdoor physical activities.

Pandey further noted that sports and education in India have traditionally been treated as separate or competing domains, whereas they actually complement each other. He cited examples of leading global institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Stanford University, which excel in both academics and sports, with students representing their countries at the Olympic level.

He also emphasised that while India is establishing separate sports universities, there is a need to empower existing higher educational institutions to become centres of sporting excellence. The booklets, he said, aim to create a combined nursery of education and sports at the kindergarten level.

The Sports Alphabet Booklets have been developed in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Marathi, Bangla, Khasi, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, Rajasthani, Kumaoni, Garhwali, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Odia, Malayalam and Gujarati, along with two foreign languages — Arabic and Nepali.

Nepal Member of Parliament Abhishek Pratap Shah attended the event for the launch of the Nepali version and appreciated the initiative, stating that he would recommend its implementation in primary schools in Nepal.

Congratulating the organisers, Mishra said the initiative reflects India’s cultural diversity and unity through its multilingual approach.

Dhyanchand said he has been associated with the organisation for a long time and described the effort as a first-of-its-kind scientific and structured initiative to build a sports culture in the country.

Several Members of Parliament, including Sulata Deo from Odisha, Golla Baburao from Andhra Pradesh, Seema Dwivedi from Uttar Pradesh, and Anurag Sharma, participated both physically and virtually, describing the Sports Alphabet Booklets as a unique initiative for youth development and holistic growth.

The event witnessed the presence of several distinguished personalities, including Members of Parliament, academicians and eminent individuals from across the country.

–IANS

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