SPEECH OF HON'BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR, UT CHANDIGARH, SHRI BANWARILAL PUROHIT ON THE OCCASION OF 75TH EDITION OF THE SANTOSH TROPHY NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP AT CHANDIGARH ON 21.11.2021.

Very warm greetings to all !

It is indeed a pleasure to be here at the 75th Edition of the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship.

Sports have a long history in India, dating back to the Vedic era. We find a mention about, wrestling, chariot racing, archery, hammer throwing, mallakhamb and games played on horse games in yester years. Board games like ludo and the chess- like epic Chaturanga played during the Mahabharata era have their origins in India. The Encyclopedia Britannica states that chess existed in India long before it was known to the world. Kalaripayattu, the modern day Martial arts that trains the body and mind with complex movements has its origin from Kerala (India). It is the world?s oldest form of martial arts dating back to at least the 3rd century BC and is considered as the mother of all martial arts in the world. Also world-famous sport Kabaddi was invented in India. It is believed to be played by Yadavas, an ancient community during the Vedic age.

Ancient India gave prime importance to physical fitness. There has been strong evidence of the rich tradition of games that were practiced and passed on to the next generation. Sports were part of a strong culture and were not only practiced for leisure but also to develop sound mental and physical capabilities.

As of now, India is one of the youngest nations in the World, with about 65% of the population under 35 years of age. The youth in the age group of 15-29 years comprise 27.5% of the population. This ?demographic dividend? offers us a great opportunity to bloom in the International Sports Arena.

The Government of India and a number of other stakeholders are working to enable productive youth participation in sports and developing a robust national sports culture.

From the success of the IPL to the emergence of newer leagues in hockey, badminton, and now football, sports are definitely catching the imagination of young India.

However, to develop a culture of sports, the most important element is a mindset change on the part of parents. Because Indian parents often do not see the important role that sports play in the development of their children, coupled with the fact that currently in India sports is not yet considered as a viable career path, parents generally discourage children from spending too much time on the playing field.

In this age of increasing child obesity, it has never been more important to encourage children to cut off the screen time and go outside to play, to move from the virtual world to the real world. Sports teach our children valuable life skills that will be carried into adulthood regardless of their ultimate profession. These include perseverance, cooperation, teamwork, leadership and conflict resolution.

On the journey towards a robust sports culture in India, there may be a long way to go, but ?well begun is half done.? I am very encouraged by some emerging trends. There is increasing awareness of health and fitness in the country. This is evident through the extraordinary growth in gym memberships and the visible emergence of a running culture in India. The popularity of community running clubs and marathon participation are exciting trends. In Chandigarh, the early morning joggers, cyclers, evening walkers, sports stadia full of young aspiring sportspersons, is a feast for sore eyes.

With increased exposure to global sporting events, the youth has evolved, and there is a growing market today for new sports. From Messi to Murray, From Abhinav to Neeraj young Indians have found a whole new set of heroes. Adding to this is the slew of recent wins by Indian sporting icons that have inspired youngsters to pursue their passion for sports. The success stories of Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom and Dipika Pallikal have also inspired a lot of young girls to pursue sports.

It is based on these developments, some evident and some latent, that I believe the Indian sports story is going through significant changes. The leagues are going international and the biggest media and corporate groups are backing sports. I am convinced that as the Indian sports scenario evolves and gains greater acceptance and participation from communities, India is poised to make its mark on the world sporting arena.

Nelson Mandela, the Nobel laureate for peace and former president of South Africa, said in one of his speeches, ?Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair?? But to inspire the next generation, we need the right professionals to lead and coach them in sports and the right infrastructure to meet their expectations.

It is in line with this, the National Sports University, Manipur, was set up in 2018. Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone for the University? The University, once developed, will be the first one of its kind to promote sports education in the area of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management, and sports coaching. State Sports Universities have also come up in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gurjrat and Tamilnadu.

The ?Khelo India ? National Programme for Development of Sports? launched in 2017 is strengthening the entire sports ecosystem to promote the twin objectives of mass participation and promotion of excellence in sports across the country.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is providing customized support to Olympic prospects athletes under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Under the scheme of ?Assistance to National Sports Federations?, identified promising sportspersons and teams are being provided with all the requisite facilities for their training abroad and participation in national & international Competitions.

We in Chandigarh have about 20 sports complexes and sports centres besides the skating rink, hockey and cricket stadia, shooting range, all weather swimming pool, sports hostel, hi-tech gyms, sports library and special physiotherapy center for players and cater to training in almost all the sports including archery, athletics, boxing, basketball, badminton, cricket, football, hockey, gymnastics, judo, squash, swimming and Kabaddi among others.

The Chandigarh Sports Council is complementing sports development programmes of the Sports Department of Chandigarh Administration.

Conducive environment has been provided for specific coaching and training on scientific basis to achieve par excellence at National/International level.

We have dedicated Academies for Cricket , Hockey and Football . Both girls and boys are being imparted training in their respective academies.

The Chandigarh Football Academy has had over 50 players take the field for the national team, including four players from the recent batch that played for India Under-17 in the World Cup - Amarjit Kiyam, Prabsukhan Gill, Sanjeev Stalin and India's goal scorer at the global event Jeakson Singh.

Former trainees list also includes Anirudh Thapa, Narender Gahlot, Vikram Pratap Singh and the Indian team that recently won the SAFF Under-18 Championship had as many as eight youngsters from the Chandigarh Football Academy.

I also feel proud to inform you that two Chandigarh lads are also the recipients of the Arjuna Award namely Gurpreet Sandhu(in 2019) and Sh. Sandesh Jhingan(in 2020).

Football in India has historically been among the top 3 most popular sports in terms of players? participation and TV viewership, together with long time number one cricket and re-emerging kabaddi.

But, Football in India has had ebbs and flows.

After a golden phase in 50s and 60s, Indian football went through a barren phase in 70s, 80s and 90s, gradually losing its foothold as a top Asian team. Relative to their male counterparts, the women's team started very late in the 70s. The team had seen success during the initial years in the form of being Asian Women's championship runners-up twice in the early 80s. But, later it too suffered massive setbacks.

But sports cannot just be called a competition of victory or loss. Sports are not limited to medals and performances. Sports are a global phenomenon. It is not that a country in the world becomes great only because of its economic and strategic might. A scientist can also brighten his country?s name all over the world with his small innovation. Similarly, many smaller countries in the world have made their identity across the globe because of sports. They inspire and energize the entire country through that sport. So, sports developed in a very organized and structured way can also introduce the country?s image and power in today?s world.

India is one of the few countries with two fully recognized football leagues. Also contested here is the Santosh Trophy, a knock-out competition between states and some of the government institutions, the commencement 75th edition of which we are here to witness today.

The 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup was hosted by India in the month of October in 2017 .It was for the first time India hosted a FIFA event. The tournament is claimed as the most successful FIFA Under-17 World Cup ever, with the attendance being a record 1.4 lac surpassing China's 1985 edition where it was 1.2 lac. India is also going to host the 2022 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup.

So, India?s presence in football is internationally felt and recognized. The former FIFA president Sepp Blatter once famously said that India is "the sleeping giant of world football". I do agree with him with the only difference that the giant is now awake and alive and will prove its mettle in days to come!

I am happy to have an opportunity to meet you at a time when our athletes have scripted history at the Olympics and Paralympics 2020, which is also an indication of the country?s progression towards becoming a top sporting nation.

The Nation is energized with these laurels. We will strive hard to bring further glory to the nation in the forthcoming international events.

In order to achieve global heights in sports, Chandigarh is committed to provide the best of training facilities to all players and no effort is to be spared for their success.

We shall continue to make efforts to provide the best supporting infrastructure facilities, equipment and other support mechanisms to achieve excellence in sports.

I would take this opportunity to share with you the fact that UPDATION OF SPORTS POLICY of Union Territory of Chandigarh IN CONSULTATION WITH SPORTS FRATERNITY, UNIVERSITIES AND SPORTS FEDERATION IS IN PROGRESS?..very soon will it be spelled out ?we are all ready ?to be the best and lead the rest?

I welcome the Group A teams of Chandigarh, Services, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to the City Beautiful.

For the coming couple of days you will be pitched against each other so Lace Up Your Boots and be ready for a fair play. Many players who have represented India internationally have played and gained accolades while playing in the Santosh Trophy?this is the might of this Championship!

Once again my best wishes to all of you. Enjoy and perform in this tournament in a congenial atmosphere. I congratulate Sports Department and all other organizers for the splendid arrangement.

Thank You

Jai Hind.