India’s newly-appointed Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said he will carry forward the programmes of predecessor Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
“There is something called continuity. Things from the past should be carried forward and new things should be added if it is good,” Rijiju said. “The Khelo India programme, which the Prime Minister started, will be taken forward. We will continue to promote traditional sports alongside modern sports.”
“We will have to work as team as team work is the essence of success,” he added.
“I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving me this fantastic opportunity to work for the youth of this country,” said Rijiju after taking charge of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
“It is an important ministry which can galvanize the youth of this nation. Youth is the power of this country.”
Rijiju, who served as a state minister in the Ministry of Home Affairs previously, has been given independent charge of the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry besides the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Rijiju, however, refused to go into details about his new assignment, stating that he needs some time to understand how things work. “I cannot comment on any specifics right now because I am yet to be briefed by the officers.
“But our focus will be on all sporting events from indigenous sporting events to National Games, Asian Games and the Olympics. Olympics, obviously, will be our main target because it is the pinnacle of all sporting events.”
