Exclusive interview with Oneindia: Khelo India Winter Games sees record participation from South Indian states, marking a huge step for winter sports. Vineet Kumar, Deputy Director General, SAI, told Oneindia that SAI will propose an artificial snow centre to the government for year-round training. The Khelo India Mission, a PM Modi initiative, is increasing India's talent pool in multiple sports disciplines, strengthening the nation's sports future.
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#KheloIndia #WinterGames #SAI #SportsAuthorityOfIndia #SouthIndia #WinterSports #SnowTraining #ArtificialSnow #VineetKumar #KheloIndiaMission #NarendraModi #SportsDevelopment #IndiaAthletes #GovernmentProposal #FutureOfSports #TalentPool #OlympicsDream #SnowCentre #YearRoundTraining #IndianSports
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NewsTranscript
00:00We came here 15 days ago for the recce and we were a little disappointed because there was not much snow.
00:09Our athletes are so enthusiastic.
00:12The South, East and West states have also participated in this.
00:18Since this Khelu India has started, our grass roots have increased a lot.
00:26This is the 5th edition of Khelu India Winter Games.
00:36What are the learnings that you have learnt from the last season?
00:44The most important part of any game is technical conduct.
00:51Our technical conduct has been flawless till now.
00:55We are gradually strengthening it.
00:58We are plugging in the shortcomings.
01:03We observe everything.
01:05I will tell you a small thing.
01:07When we went to the finish line yesterday, we felt that a doctor should be present there as well.
01:16Some players are breathless and have a high altitude.
01:19We incorporate such small learnings in the next edition.
01:24We organize it well.
01:27How many athletes have participated this year?
01:32What are the states where athletes have come from which people do not think about?
01:39Our participation level is going up.
01:44The states where there are no facilities for Winter Games,
01:50we have athletes from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Ladakh.
01:58I was surprised to see South Indian athletes performing here.
02:07It shows how enthusiastic our athletes are.
02:15They have come from South, East and West states to participate.
02:21They set up camps here in Uttarakhand, Himachal, J&K.
02:25They come here and participate on the basis of these camps.
02:29It is very encouraging for the government.
02:33Winter Games are governed by the weather.
02:39We do not have an infrastructure where we can artificially create snow.
02:44So that we can train for a year.
02:48How much is the Indian government doing in this direction?
02:52As the chairman of the technical committee,
02:58we came here 15 days ago for the recce.
03:02We were disappointed because there was not enough snow.
03:07There was a big question mark that the Games will not be held on time.
03:11Because we depend on nature.
03:14But nature supported us.
03:16It snowed and the Games are going very well.
03:19Then we felt that we need to create such an infrastructure here
03:25so that the Games can be held regularly every year.
03:29In this direction, we are going to give a report to the government.
03:33We hope that the government will take note of it.
03:36We will also try to create an infrastructure for the Winter Games here.
03:42Sir, if we talk about the overall performance of the Games,
03:47what is the biggest achievement so far?
03:50Because every year, the Games are allocated in the highest budget.
03:55Personally, the Prime Minister has a vision that the Games should reach the next level.
04:02And now there is talk of the 2034 Olympics.
04:05India wants to host the 36th Olympics.
04:08So with that vision, how far is the Games India getting?
04:12And how far can it reach in the coming time?
04:15The first mission of the Games India is called the Games India.
04:21In India, the vision of the Indian government is that maximum people participate in sports.
04:30And talented kids will come to us in the same ratio, which was less now.
04:36But since the Games India has started,
04:39the area of grassroots has increased a lot.
04:45So from that, players are coming to us.
04:49We have a lot of data here.
04:52We have a lot of players who have become international.
04:56They have won gold medals in Asian Championships and Asian Games.
05:00They have won other medals.
05:01They have participated.
05:02We have got very encouraging results from the Games India.
05:05This scheme has been successful because of the results.
05:11And I hope that this is a very good and long-term program.
05:17And until this mission involves the whole of India in all sports,
05:22this mission will continue.
05:24Sir, my last question.
05:25How do we ensure that the athletes in the Winter Games are of the best facilities in the world?
05:33So where are you planning to send the players for training?
05:38We have selected athletes from the Games India.
05:43We admit the athletes in the National Centre of Excellence of the Sports Authority of India.
05:51There is a provision in it that we send the kids out for foreign exposure.
05:56There is a scheme in it.
06:00Every year, we have kids from every NCOE and every discipline.
06:06There is a provision in it that the kids from the countries that are better than us in sports,
06:11go there and compete with them so that our level increases
06:15and we can ultimately go and defeat them in the Olympics and Asian Games.
06:19So this is a part of the scheme.
06:21Okay. Thank you, sir.