00:00So, ma'am, I'll start with Khelo India first, you know, I mean, it has been important since it came up,
00:10it has been very important, crucial for Indian at least development, how you look at it, you know, in the coming seasons?
00:16See, Khelo India was a brainchild of a Prime Minister and see the grassroots support what Khelo India is offering is immense.
00:26Initially, it was just like the state used to support and the district used to support, but that was not enough.
00:32And now Khelo India is a structured organization, the support what it's coming through that to that, like a grassroots level.
00:42It's not only that for the athletes, the infrastructure is also developing, the competition schedules are there,
00:48and the athletes actually, they're going to a structured form. From there, they can go to NCOE, from there to national camp and from TOPS.
00:57So, it's a structured form. So, I'm extremely happy that the Khelo India actually, the way how it is supporting our youngsters.
01:06And at the same time, the importance of national games, we saw how important it was.
01:13See, national games is once in four years and now we don't know once in what year it's going to happen.
01:20But see, it's a game, it's like Asian Games, it's like Olympics.
01:26So, in India, what's happening is national games and that is actually a big competition.
01:33That is the only one where all the events can come together.
01:37And it's a kind of, what to call, celebration.
01:42And there, all the states, they want to perform better, they want to show their talents and they want to be on the top.
01:52So, it's a big war, like how Olympics happening. So, in India, it's a mini Olympics.
01:58So, ma'am, Karnataka hosting, do you have a role to play in that, given you are now part of that?
02:07Yeah, I'm a Senior Vice President of Athletic Federation of India.
02:10So, anywhere it happens, we are part of it.
02:15And actually, I'm in Karnataka, my academy is also in Karnataka.
02:19Yeah, I'm here for almost 24 years. So, it's my hometown now.
02:24So, I'm extremely happy some big competitions are happening in and around Karnataka.
02:29And see, in Karnataka, it's a historic place and the stadium was there for many years.
02:37And see, Open Nationals, for the department, this is something big because for the promotion and for increment.
02:46So, all the athletes actually having that kind of mentality.
02:50And this is almost the end of our season. But still, kids are performing better.
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