Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan interacted with students at the 'Khelo India Samvaad – Khel Ki Baat PM Modi Ke Saath' program organised at Mata Sundari College for Women in Delhi in collaboration with MY Bharat. During the interaction, the Union Minister emphasised the importance of taking young people’s suggestions into account, strengthening mental health and nutrition services alongside sports, and building a drug-free India. He also administered a pledge to the students to stay away from drugs and work towards a drug-free society.

The nationwide program was held with PM Shri Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest. At the Delhi program, Shri Chouhan greeted the students and underlined the need to engage the country’s youth more closely and expand their participation in PM Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'. The interaction was linked to the PM’s message, while the platform was kept completely open to ensure that every student had an opportunity to share her views.

In his address, Shri Chouhan described sports as an important component of holistic development and said that sports are as important as academics as they help develop discipline, self-confidence, resilience and personality. He said the government would listen to suggestions from young people and make necessary changes in policies and their implementation wherever required.

The students put forward several suggestions during the interaction. Key suggestions included introducing regular sports psychology modules at Khelo India Centres and government sports academies, covering stress management, meditation, motivation, performance pressure, coping with failure and emotional coaching.

The students also called for greater focus on rural and remote areas, including better sports infrastructure, affordable and accessible equipment, trained coaches, awareness campaigns, career guidance and equal opportunities for aspiring athletes. To address financial and resource constraints, the students suggested programs that would enable economically weaker students to pursue sports of their choice. These included grants, equipment rental facilities and local training centres.

On family and educational sensitivity, the students suggested organising workshops to sensitise parents and teachers so that young sporting talent receives greater encouragement and support. Shri Chouhan listened carefully to all the suggestions and appreciated the students for their thoughtful inputs. He said that feasible suggestions would be forwarded to the concerned departments for further action. He also assured the students that special attention would be given to mental health, nutrition and the development of sports in rural areas.

During the program, Shri Chouhan also administered the Drug-Free India pledge to the students and said that healthy and fit youth are the country’s real strength. He further said that preparations for national and international competitions are being continuously strengthened and that providing athletes with better opportunities remains a priority for the government. The students who participated in the interaction welcomed the opportunity to speak directly with the Union Minister and share their concerns and suggestions. Several students said that such direct interactions gave them hope that their voices would reach policymakers and lead to practical changes on the ground.

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