Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Saturday, 29 August called for sports and natural farming to be placed at the centre of India's nation-building agenda, speaking at a National Sports Day awards and felicitation ceremony in Ahmedabad. The event was jointly organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Gujarat and the Sports Authority of Gujarat.

Governor's Call for Organised Physical Activity

Devvrat stressed that sports must be an integral part of youth development, arguing that greater efforts are needed to channel children's energy through structured physical activity. He expressed concern over the growing dependence of children on mobile phones and screens, stating that the playground remains the most effective antidote to such habits.

'The immense energy of children could lead them in the wrong direction if it were not channelled properly,' he said. The Governor urged early identification of sporting talent — from as young as five years of age — and advocated scientific training frameworks to nurture it.

Lessons from Gurukul Kurukshetra

Drawing on his own experiences at Gurukul Kurukshetra, Devvrat cited concrete examples of how discipline and sport can transform lives. He pointed to Rajendra, a Gurukul student who went on to win a Commonwealth gold medal in wrestling, and Jorawarsinh and Surendra, sportspersons who rose to become senior police officers in Haryana. These examples, he argued, demonstrate that children from ordinary backgrounds can compete successfully at the international level when given the right environment.

Natural Farming and Environmental Conservation

The Governor also linked physical well-being to natural farming, calling for environmental conservation as a parallel pillar in building a healthy India. This is consistent with Devvrat's long-standing advocacy for natural farming, a position he has championed across multiple public forums.

Sports Budget and Government Schemes

Former Rajya Sabha MP Narhari Amin, also present at the ceremony, said the sports budget had increased 33-fold under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that more than 2,800 athletes are currently receiving an annual scholarship of ₹5 lakh each, along with world-class coaching under government schemes. Amin also highlighted infrastructure developments such as the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad as examples of facilities helping athletes prepare for global competition.

Lifetime Achievement Awards and Felicitations

Two stalwarts of Gujarat's sporting community were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Mayur Patel, who has served as coach to chess legend Viswanathan Anand, and cricket coach Jayprakash Patel, who has contributed to state cricket and helped develop several Ranji Trophy players, were honoured for their long-standing contributions. More than 17 players and other prominent figures were also felicitated with trophies and certificates for their contributions to sports in Gujarat.

The ceremony underscores a broader push to institutionalise sports culture at the state level, with policymakers and administrators increasingly framing athletic development as a public health and national-character imperative.