Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on National Sports Day, describing him as one of India’s enduring symbols of sporting excellence. Addressing a gathering at the SKUAST-Kashmir Shalimar Campus, Sinha recalled Dhyan Chand’s legendary performances, saying his brilliance compelled the world to acknowledge India’s sporting talent, and that every stroke of his hockey stick symbolised discipline, dedication and willpower.
Sinha said sports were not merely about winning medals but about cultivating resilience, unity and the spirit of nation building. “Sport is life’s most honest teacher. The playing field never lies; rather, it tells you precisely where you stand today and what you must do to become better tomorrow,” he said, adding that there were no shortcuts in sports and that they help young people learn to rise after setbacks while nurturing shared achievement.
Highlighting the role of youth, the Lieutenant Governor said sports give wings to dreams and expressed confidence in the young athletes of Jammu and Kashmir, describing them as representative of India’s bright future. He envisioned a future where every gram panchayat harnesses the power of sports, academies in small towns nurture talent, and farmers’ daughters receive the same scientific training as athletes at Centres of Excellence in major cities. He also underlined the importance of sports science, management and technical expertise in universities to produce trainers, physiotherapists and managers, and expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir would eventually host international sporting events rather than merely participate in them.
“Our achievements in sports over the past six years prove that if young people are prepared for sports with dedication, the region will create an entire era of champions,” Sinha said, calling on youth to contribute to building Viksit Bharat by 2047 and urging corporate houses to support athletes at the talent recognition stage rather than only after they win medals. He outlined three duties for youth: leading by example, competing with dignity, and accepting defeat gracefully while inspiring future generations, and urged them to use the unity of sports to transcend differences of language and faith.
He commended youth participation in the Drug Free Campaign, saying development should not be measured by GDP alone but also by the health, energy and confidence of citizens. “A healthy India is a fearless India. A sporting India is a confident India. And a confident India is an invincible India,” Sinha said. He administered the National Sports Day pledge and felicitated top performing sportspersons of the 69th National School Games. MoUs were exchanged between the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports, J&K, and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, Dani Sports Foundation and Common Services Centres. Additional Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, Commissioner Secretary Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg, IGP Kashmir Sujit Kumar and DC Srinagar Akshay Labroo attended the celebrations.
