*“Design of the International stadium in Kashi is dedicated to Lord Mahadev”
*“When sports infrastructure is built, it has a positive impact not only on nurturing young sporting talent but also augurs well for the local economy””
BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY
NEW DELHI, 23 SEPTEMBER 2023:
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of International Cricket Stadium in Varanasi today. The modern international cricket stadium will be developed in Ganjari, Rajatalab, Varanasi at a cost of about Rs 450 crores and spread across an area of more than 30 acres.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the design of the International stadium dedicated to Lord Mahadev has instilled a feeling of pride among the citizens of Kashi. He said that the stadium would witness great cricket matches while the young athletes would get an opportunity to train at a stadium with international standards. “This will greatly benefit the citizens of Kashi”, he added.
The Prime Minister said that through cricket, the world is getting linked with India and many new countries are playing cricket leading to a greater number of matches. He said that this international stadium will cater to the rising demand for stadiums in the coming years. The Prime Minister also thanked the BCCI for their contribution.
The Prime Minister underlined that the development of sports infrastructure of such scale not only has a positive effect on sports but also has a positive impact on the regional economy. He mentioned that such developments attract more visitors which greatly benefits sectors such as hotels, eateries, rickshaws and auto drivers as well as oarsmen in the region.
He highlighted that it also has a positive effect on sports coaching and management institutions thereby paving the way for youth to venture into sports startups. He also touched upon physiotherapy courses and said that a new sports industry is expected to shape up in Varanasi in the coming days.
The Prime Minister highlighted the changing attitude towards sports among parents. “Now the mood of the nation is – Jo Khelega wo hi Khilega (one who will play will blossom)”, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister recounted his recent visit to Shahdol and his interaction with youth in a tribal village there and remembered the local pride for the ‘Mini Brazil’ there and their deep love for football there.
The Prime Minister also described the change in Kashi towards sports. He said that that effort is to provide world-level sports facilities to the youth of Kashi. That is why, along with this stadium 400 crore rupees are being spent on Sigra stadium where facilities are being developed for more than 50 sports.
This is going to be the first multi-sports complex which will be divyang friendly. The Prime Minister emphasized that along with the new construction, old systems are being improved as well.
The Prime Minister said that the recent sporting success of India is due to a changed approach as now sports have been linked with the fitness, employment and career of the youth. Compared to 9 years ago, this year’s sports budget has been increased threefold. Khelo India’s budget got a hike of about 70 percent compared to last year. Government moves with the athletes like a team member from school to the Olympics podium”, he said. He mentioned the growing participation of girls and the TOPS scheme.
The PM acknowledged the presence of sporting potential in every village, city nook and corner of the country and emphasized the need to find them and develop their skills. “Youth coming from small towns and villages have become the pride of the nation today”, the PM said as he stressed creating more and more opportunities for them.
He informed that under the new National Education Policy sports is treated as a proper subject rather than an extracurricular activity. First National Sports University was established in Manipur. In Uttar Pradesh too, he said, thousands of crore rupees are being spent for the expansion of sports infrastructure. He mentioned the expansion of a sports college in Gorakhpur and the establishment of Major Dhyan Chand University in Meerut.
“The expansion of sports infrastructure is essential for the development of a nation”, the Prime Minister emphasized as he noted its significance for the reputation of a country. He mentioned that several cities in the world are known for organizing global sporting events and stressed developing sports infrastructure in the country capable of hosting such global events. This stadium, the Prime Minister said, will be a witness to this resolution of development which will not merely be a structure of bricks and concrete but will also become a symbol of the future of India.
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, President of BCCI, Roger Binny, Secretary of BCCI, Vice President of BCCI, Rajeev Shukla, Jay Shah, Former cricket icons – Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Madan Lal, Gundappa Viswanath, and Gopal Sharma etc were also present.
Background :
The international cricket stadium in Varanasi will be a step towards realizing the Prime Minister’s vision to develop modern world-class sports infrastructure. The modern international cricket stadium will be developed in Ganjari, Rajatalab, Varanasi at a cost of about Rs 450 crores and spread across an area of more than 30 acres. The thematic architecture of this stadium draws inspiration from Lord Shiva, with designs developed for crescent-shaped roof covers, trident-shaped lights, ghat steps-based seating, and Bilvipatra-shaped metallic sheets on the facade. The stadium will have a capacity of 30,000 spectators.
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