Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Sports Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment along with Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, felicitated six outstanding shooters after their return back to acknowledge their achievement at the Paris Olympics 2024, informed Ministry of Communications, PIB.

“The highlight of the event was Sarabjot Singh, who secured a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event alongside Manu Bhaker,” stated the Ministry.

As part of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports’ cash award scheme, Sarabjot Singh was awarded a cheque of Rs 22.5 Lakh by Dr. Mandaviya. The event also recognised the contributions of Arjun Babuta, Ramita Jindal, Rhythm Sangwan, Sandeep Singh, and Arjun Singh Cheema, as well as their coaches Suma Shirur, Samaresh Jung, and Sarabjot’s personal coach Abhishek Rana. Notably, Arjun Babuta narrowly missed a podium finish, coming in 4th in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event.

Speaking at the felicitation event, Dr. Mandaviya praised the athletes and said, “Each of you is a champion. I know it was hard for some of you to come to terms with the fact that you missed the medal by a whisker, but don’t let that loss lessen your passion for the game. Instead, let it fuel your motivation to excel in future competitions.”

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Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the impact of the Khelo India program, stating, “This time, out of 117 athletes, 70 are participating in the Olympics for the first time, showcasing the emergence of new talent in our country. Out of these 117 athletes, 28 have come from Khelo India and are now part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. This means that from grassroots-level to elite-level, they have performed consistently and received support from both schemes.”

Emphasising the hard work and dedication of the athletes, Dr. Mandaviya said, “Sarabjot is a personification of this pyramidal structure – Khelo India to Target Olympic Podium Scheme to Olympic Podium Finish. But support alone cannot guarantee results – it is the hard work of the athletes, the motivation of their parents, coaches, and those around them, that ensures their final victory.”

Elaborating on the ever-progressing development in the Indian sports ecosystem, Dr Mandaviya mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has envisioned India to be a developed country by 2047 and sports will play a big role in this. By 2047, India will also be among the top 5 in the world in terms of sports ecosystems.”

Bronze medallist Sarabjot has been a Khelo India scholarship athlete since 2019. Arjun Cheema, Rhythm Sangwan, Arjun Babuta, and Ramita have also benefited from the scheme, transitioning to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.

The shooters were also given the platform to recount their experiences at the Paris Olympics, whereby, they lauded top notch facilities which are now accessible in India. They further commended on the infrastructure, sports science, and coaching. They also highlighted on the significant support from the government in their journey to the Paris Olympics.