On National Sports Day, three distinguished athletes—Manu Bhaker, Anush Agarwalla, and Sarabjot Singh—came forward to share their personal experiences of interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed gratitude for his unwavering support. Their words reveal the profound impact of PM Modi’s encouragement and guidance on their sporting journeys.
Manu Bhaker: “He encouraged me to aim big”
Olympic medallist and shooting champion Manu Bhaker reflected on her first meeting with PM Modi after her gold medal win at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was only 16 years old then and was deeply inspired by his encouragement. "PM Modi told me, 'You are very young. You will achieve even greater success. Reach out to me whenever you need anything.' His personal support boosted my confidence," shared Manu.
Even during challenging times, such as after her performance at the Tokyo Olympics, PM Modi reached out to Manu, providing words of comfort and discussing her future goals. "He told me to stay confident and focused, and he kept track of every detail about each athlete," she recalled. Manu praised PM Modi's genuine involvement with athletes, meeting them before international competitions to boost their morale and checking on them afterwards to understand their experiences.
"𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗠 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁." – 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿
— Modi Story (@themodistory) August 29, 2024
Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker’s experience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers… pic.twitter.com/UJjVKVphU2
Anush Agarwalla: “His encouragement boosted our morale”
Indian equestrian Olympian Anush Agarwalla highlighted PM Modi’s unique approach to motivating athletes. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, every athlete, including Anush, received a personal letter from the Prime Minister encouraging them to reach out for any support they needed. "This gesture alone boosted our morale," said Anush.
He also shared a memorable pre-Olympic interaction where PM Modi broke down barriers among athletes by asking questions that encouraged experienced Olympians to mentor newcomers. "He created a sense of camaraderie and new enthusiasm among us," Anush recalled. Even though equestrian sports are not as prominent in India, Anush emphasized that PM Modi showed him the same respect and concern as he did for other athletes, demonstrating his commitment to every sport.
"𝗔𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗠 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗲," -… pic.twitter.com/eJu1TP61Ns
— Modi Story (@themodistory) August 29, 2024
Sarabjot Singh: “His words gave me goosebumps”
Shooting bronze medallist, Sarabjot Singh vividly remembered the surge of energy he felt after PM Modi’s pep talk before the Paris Olympics. "PM Modi’s words of support literally gave me goosebumps!" Sarabjot shared, describing his intense motivation to win a medal for India.
Following his victory, the Prime Minister personally congratulated Sarabjot and inspired him to aim for an even bigger medal at the next Olympics in Los Angeles. Sarabjot also appreciated the government’s support through initiatives like the Khelo India and TOPS schemes, which were instrumental in his training and preparation. “We trained in Luxembourg, and the prompt support through these programs was key to my success,” he noted.
"𝗣𝗠 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶'𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀!": 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗷𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵, 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁
— Modi Story (@themodistory) August 29, 2024
Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the Indian athletes, assuring a… pic.twitter.com/KTKm1kt7Cg
A Leader Who Cares
The testimonies of Manu Bhaker, Anush Agarwalla, and Sarabjot Singh highlight PM Modi’s dedication to supporting Indian athletes beyond the limelight. His personal touch, encouragement, and unwavering support have become a source of strength for athletes, motivating them to strive for excellence. As India celebrates National Sports Day, these stories remind us of the invaluable role that PM Modi plays in nurturing the country's sporting talent.
