PM for players’ role in key fight

NEWDELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with some of India’s top athletes on Friday and urged them to spread awareness among people and boost the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The hour-long video conference featured Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, PV Sindhu, Viswanathan Anand, and PT Usha among at least 40 athletes who attended the call. Ten athletes were given the opportunity to speak, including women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal, top weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, and para athlete (high jump) Sharad Kumar.

Kohli was the last to speak and the PM told the India skipper, according to paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal, who was part of the conference, “we need your fighting spirit and killer instinct to fight this pandemic.”

“It was so nice to see Modi sir bringing in the fighting spirit of sportspersons and relate it to the current situation in encouraging people to battle the crisis,” Sharath Kamal said.

Sindhu thanked the PM for taking a strong decision like the nationwide lockdown. “She was very happy and excited to talk to the PM,” her father PV Ramana said. Top men’s badminton player B Sai Praneeth said that he was informed of the call on April 2 through an email that instructed him to download an app on his phone. “I attended the call from home,” Praneeth said.

BCCI president Ganguly stressed on fitness and the need to ensure good immunity. Tendulkar, in a media statement, said his focus was on the elders. “Taking care of our elders who are most vulnerable and using this time to hear from them their stories and experiences—it was something that found resonance with the PM.”

Para high jumper Sharad Kumar joined the interaction from Ukraine and made a mark with his knowledge on the crisis.

India’s top woman tennis player Ankita Raina thanked everyone at the forefront of fighting the pandemic. “I also shared my experiences of being in a lockdown,” she said. “How I’m working out, trying to help my mom (in household chores), sharing my exercise videos on social media and trying to motivate people in these times, also following pranayam and meditation daily.”

After the interaction, sports minister Kiren Rijiju called up those who did not get a chance to speak in the interaction and noted their views.