Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore hails Rajasthan athletes' CWG 2026 success, says their stories will inspire youth
Jaipur, August 8
Rajasthan Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore stressed that the success of athletes such as Arundhati Choudhary and Yashvir Singh, who won gold and bronze medals respectively at the Commonwealth Games 2026, would inspire the state's youth.
He emphasised the importance of sports alongside education, urging young people to strengthen both their physical and mental capabilities.
Arundhati, who hails from Kota, scripted history by clinching the women's 70kg boxing gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, defeating England's world bronze medallist Chantelle Reid by a dominant 5-0 unanimous decision.
While, India scripted history in athletics at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Neeraj Chopra clinched the silver medal and debutant Yashvir Singh secured bronze in the men's javelin throw event, marking a memorable 1-2 finish for India on the podium.
"From the Commonwealth Games, our players who have come back, two players from Rajasthan have got medals, Arundhati and Yashvir- a gold medal and a bronze medal in boxing and javelin. From this program, all our young players and youth will be inspired. Their stories, through you, will reach our youth. Life is not easy, there are challenges in everyone's life, but this is life. By accepting it and being happy, living every day, living every moment, one should move forward. And one should increase their capability. And to increase your capability, you have to strengthen your body and also strengthen your mind. Along with education, sports are also very important. Just as important as our mathematics or science teachers are, our PT teachers are of equal importance," Rathore told the reporters.
Rathore said families, communities and elders have a collective responsibility to encourage the younger generation and help them develop physically and mentally.
"Within every home, the responsibility to move the younger generation forward lies with all of us elders, which includes family members and also neighbours. All these are important to encourage them to move forward. Today, the atmosphere within the country is a rising one, showing its strength in the world. The future generation is responsible for our India. So definitely, in every way, strengthen your body, your mind, your soul, your brain, and those who are elders have the responsibility to encourage them," he added.
He also stressed that the state and central governments are working together to nurture sporting talent, with the Centre providing support and facilities to national-level athletes through the Khelo India scheme.
"Similarly, governments also get included among the elders. So the state government and the central government both together have created such an environment where it is the state's responsibility to prepare the players and take them to that level where the nation takes over that responsibility. The responsibility for national-level players goes to the national government, the central government, which, through the Khelo India Youth Scheme, has given every kind of facility to our players," he concluded.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud of Arundhati and Yashvir! Neeraj Chopra's silver showing the way for debutants like Yashvir is a beautiful story. What I really appreciate about Rathore's message is the focus on balancing education with physical fitness. In our country, we often neglect PT teachers, but he rightly equated them with math and science teachers. That mindset shift is crucial. More power to our athletes! 🔥
While the congratulations are well-deserved, I wish the government would focus more on identifying and nurturing talent at the school level across all districts, not just major cities. Khelo India is good, but we need more sports infrastructure in rural Rajasthan. Still, happy to see our athletes shine on the world stage. Arundhati's story from Kota is genuinely inspiring. Nice to see Rathore speaking from personal experience.
Watching Arundhati's final bout gave me goosebumps! A 5-0 unanimous decision in a Commonwealth final is no joke. And Yashvir's bronze as a debutant? Just imagine what more training will do for him. Rathore's words about strengthening both body and mind are so true—and as a parent, I'll definitely push my kids to take sports seriously, not just as a hobby but as a real career option. Ab samay badal gaya hai! 🌟
Bahut badhiya! The real hero here is the collective effort—state government preparing athletes and central government supporting through Khelo India. That's how it should work. Also, Rathore's point about communities and neighbors encouraging young athletes is underrated. In India, we need everyone to create a positive environment for sports. Arundhati is from Kota, javelin throwers from Haryana and UP—the whole country is stepping up. India is truly rising! 🚀
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