New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS) Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had a heartwarming interaction with the Arunachal Pradesh U-16 cricket team at the Surat Airport on Thursday as the young players arrived to take part in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. The minister extended New Year wishes and expressed his joy after meeting the budding cricketers.

The young boys from Arunachal Pradesh have come to Surat to play the Vijay Merchant Trophy match. The Union Minister felt heartfelt after meeting the young boys and also extended New Year wishes to everyone.

The Sports Minister shared a video of his meeting with the U-16 boys at the airport. The young cricket players also enjoyed the meeting and took photos with Mansukh Mandaviya, who also posed for a group picture.

The minister wrote, “I had a sudden meeting at Surat Airport with the U-16 team from Arunachal Pradesh that came to play the Vijay Merchant Trophy. Meeting them filled my heart with joy; I extended New Year wishes to everyone.”

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently virtually inaugurated the foundation stone laying ceremony for a state-of-the-art high-performance centre at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Netaji Subhas Southern Centre, Bengaluru.

The proposed High Performance Centre, with a total project cost of Rs 75 crore, will significantly strengthen India’s elite athlete preparation ecosystem by providing integrated, world-class sports science and support facilities under one roof.

The virtual ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, SAI, and HAL, alongside eminent sportspersons, coaches, and sports science experts.

Addressing the gathering virtually, Mandaviya emphasised that the centre reflects India’s shift from a participation-oriented approach to a podium-focused, high-performance sporting nation. He noted that under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mantra of “reform, perform, and transform” is bringing a paradigm shift to India’s sports ecosystem.

“This High Performance Centre will ensure that training and recovery are guided by science and technology, enabling our athletes to compete and excel at the highest international level,” the minister said.

–IANS

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