PM Modi lauds Asian Games athletes: 'You made 140 crore Indians proud'
Synopsis
PM Modi didn't just congratulate India's Asian Games athletes — he reframed their medals as national property. Standing before the contingent at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, he highlighted first-ever podium finishes in Mixed Martial Arts, Soft Tennis, and Sailing, and challenged the champions to walk back into local schools and light the same fire in India's next generation of sports talent.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi met India's Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games athletes at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium , New Delhi , on 15 October 2026 .
Modi said the athletes gave all 140 crore Indians a reason to be proud, calling their success a national achievement.
India won medals for the first time in Mixed Martial Arts , Soft Tennis , and certain Sailing events at an Asian Games.
The Prime Minister urged athletes to visit schools and village playgrounds to inspire the next generation.
The reception comes as India eyes the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with a deepening talent pipeline.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 15 October 2026, praised India's contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, telling the athletes gathered at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi that their medals were not personal trophies alone — they belonged to every one of the country's 140 crore citizens.
What the Prime Minister Said
'It gives me a lot of energy to be among all of you. It is not an ordinary thing to meet so many medal winners together. It is a very pleasant feeling,' Modi told the assembled athletes. He added that when a person's passion shifts toward winning, 'it not only brings medals, but it also brings a smile on one's face. And the country shines.'
Modi was emphatic that the highest measure of sporting success was raising the prestige of the national flag. 'The greatest success, and if there is any success, is to enhance the glory of the Tiranga. You have enhanced the glory of the Tiranga,' he said, congratulating the athletes on behalf of all Indian citizens.
Historic Medals in New Disciplines
The Prime Minister specifically highlighted podium finishes in sports where India had never previously won a medal at the Asian Games. 'Mixed Martial Arts, Soft Tennis, and some competitions of Sailing are such disciplines in which our athletes have won a medal for the first time and created a new history,' Modi noted. The remarks underline how India's sporting footprint at continental-level competition has expanded beyond its traditional strongholds.
Modi's Call to Inspire School Children
Beyond celebrating past achievement, Modi used the occasion to call on athletes to invest in the next generation. He urged them to visit schools, return to the village fields where they first played, and share their journeys with young aspirants. 'It is possible that a small thing from you can encourage a child to move forward in sports,' he said, calling their lived experience a resource that no training manual can replicate.
Context and Significance
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games marked a strong outing for the Indian contingent, continuing the upward trajectory seen at recent editions. India's participation in non-traditional disciplines reflects a deliberate broadening of its competitive focus, supported in part by government investment in the Khelo India programme and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Notably, this is the second consecutive Games at which India has set a new personal-best medal haul, according to reports. Modi's direct engagement with athletes — hosting them at a dedicated reception rather than a routine ceremony — signals the continued political priority placed on sports diplomacy and grassroots inspiration.
With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, the Prime Minister's appeal to athletes to mentor schoolchildren reflects a broader push to deepen the talent pipeline at the base of Indian sport.
Point of View
Soft Tennis, and Sailing, he signals to sports federations and state academies that niche disciplines now have political visibility. The call to mentor schoolchildren, however, needs institutional backing; individual goodwill visits rarely translate into systemic talent identification without a structured follow-through mechanism. India's rising Asian Games medal count is real progress, but converting continental podiums into Olympic medals remains the harder, still-unresolved challenge as Los Angeles 2028 approaches.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did PM Modi meet India's Asian Games athletes at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium?
PM Modi hosted the Indian contingent from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi on 15 October 2026 to personally congratulate them on their performance. He praised the athletes for making 140 crore Indians proud and for winning medals in disciplines where India had never previously featured on the Asian Games podium.
In which new sports did India win its first-ever Asian Games medals?
India won Asian Games medals for the first time in Mixed Martial Arts, Soft Tennis, and certain Sailing events at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, according to PM Modi's address. He described these firsts as a new chapter in the country's sporting history.
What did PM Modi ask the athletes to do after their return?
Modi urged the athletes to visit schools and village playgrounds in their hometowns and share their experiences with aspiring young sportspersons. He said even a small interaction from a medal-winning athlete could inspire a child to pursue sports seriously.
How does India's Asian Games performance fit into its broader sporting push?
India's strong Aichi-Nagoya outing builds on a rising medal trajectory at recent Games, backed by government initiatives such as the Khelo India programme and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). The expansion into non-traditional disciplines is seen as part of a deliberate effort to widen the country's competitive base ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
What did PM Modi say about the Tricolour and national pride?
Modi said the greatest measure of success for an athlete is to enhance the glory of the Tiranga, telling the contingent that their achievements were not theirs alone but belonged to every citizen of India. He congratulated them on behalf of all 140 crore Indians.
