NE SPORTS BUREAU
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI, AUG 29
For India’s youngsters, the playing field is more than a place to chase a ball—it is where confidence is built, friendships are forged, discipline is learned and the courage to compete is born. On National Sports Day, that message reverberated from the corridors of power to the playgrounds and streets across the country.
As India marked the 121st birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi saluted the dedication of sportspersons, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay issued a powerful call to the younger generation to make sports and physical exercise part of everyday life.
- PM Modi salutes sporting spirit as Vijay urges youngsters to make sports and exercise a daily habit
- Mandaviya says ‘Ek Ghanta Khel Ke Maidan Mein’ is powering a nationwide fitness revolution
- From cricket and football to tug-of-war, Major Dhyan Chand’s 121st birth anniversary becomes a celebration of active living
- Sports emerge as a training ground for discipline, perseverance, leadership, confidence and team spirit
- Ministry XI defeats Media XI as Delhi’s Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium becomes a vibrant sporting arena
- National Sports Day puts youth, fitness and grassroots participation at the centre of India’s sporting future
At the heart of the celebrations was a simple proposition: a fitter generation can build a stronger nation.
Modi salutes the passion that makes India proud
To every sports lover…your dedication, passion and determination make everyone proud.
We also pay homage to the legendary Major Dhyan Chand Ji, whose brilliance inspires generations.#NationalSportsDay pic.twitter.com/uwzxCWPmuW
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2026
Extending greetings to sports lovers on National Sports Day, Modi paid homage to Major Dhyan Chand, whose extraordinary brilliance and contribution to Indian hockey continue to inspire generations.
Posting on X, the Prime Minister said:
“To every sports lover…your dedication, passion and determination make everyone proud.
We also pay homage to the legendary Major Dhyan Chand Ji, whose brilliance inspires generations.”
His message placed the achievements of India’s sportspersons alongside the larger sporting culture that nurtures champions—from the playgrounds where youngsters take their first steps to the international arenas where the Tricolour is raised.
Vijay’s message: make sport a way of life
In Chennai, Vijay put the spotlight firmly on India’s younger generation, urging youngsters not to view sport merely through the narrow prism of medals and victories.
இந்திய ஹாக்கி அணியின் தலைசிறந்த வீரரும், உலகளவில் அபார சாதனை படைத்தவருமான மேஜர் தியான் சந்த் அவர்களின் பிறந்தநாளை தேசிய விளையாட்டு நாளாகக் கொண்டாடும் இந்நாளில், விளையாட்டு வீரர்கள், வீராங்கனைகள் அனைவருக்கும் எனது மனமார்ந்த நல்வாழ்த்துகள்.
விளையாட்டு, பதக்கங்களை வெல்வதற்கு… pic.twitter.com/2PDvmOIngQ
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) August 29, 2026
“The younger generation must embrace sports and physical exercise as an integral part of their daily lives,” he said in a National Sports Day post on X.
The Chief Minister stressed that sport is much more than competition.
It is, he said, an excellent platform for cultivating discipline, perseverance, self-confidence, leadership qualities and team spirit.
“Physical fitness is essential for a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling life,” Vijay said, while extending his best wishes to sportspersons.
He also expressed the hope that Tamil Nadu athletes would translate their talent into national and international success.
“On this day, I wish that sportspersons from Tamil Nadu showcase their talents brilliantly in international and national-level competitions, accumulate victories, and make India’s tricolor fly even higher. Let us grow in sports, Let us shine in victory.”
Vijay also recalled that National Sports Day is observed on the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, the legendary captain of India’s hockey team.
Delhi takes the ‘Ek Ghanta’ challenge
The national celebrations gained momentum at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, where Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya led sporting and fitness activities under the nationwide ‘Ek Ghanta Khel Ke Maidan Mein’ initiative.
महान एथलीट मेजर ध्यानचंद जी को उनकी जन्म जयंती पर भावपूर्ण नमन।
आज राष्ट्रीय खेल दिवस पर मेरा देश के युवाओं से आग्रह है कि वे खेल और फिटनेस को अपने जीवन का अभिन्न हिस्सा बनाएं। pic.twitter.com/3SqegpeAje
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 29, 2026
Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal also joined the programme.
The two ministers began the proceedings by paying floral tributes to Major Dhyan Chand and garlanding his statue.
माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के 'फिट इंडिया' मंत्र को आगे बढ़ाते हुए, आज 'राष्ट्रीय खेल दिवस' के अवसर पर एक घंटा खेल के मैदान में बिताया। 🏏🇮🇳 #NationalSportsDay pic.twitter.com/l2TUjkaz0D
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 29, 2026
From 8 am, participants converged on the stadium and took part in a range of sporting and fitness activities aimed at strengthening the Fit India Movement and encouraging regular physical activity.
Cricket, football and tug-of-war transformed the stadium into a lively arena of participation, teamwork and competitive spirit.
‘Lakhs of youth’ take the field
Mandaviya said the campaign was designed to turn fitness into a habit rather than an occasional activity.
“On the 121st birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, celebrated as National Sports Day, the nationwide ‘Ek Ghanta Khel Ke Maidan Mein’ programme has been organised to promote the Fit India Movement,” he said.
He highlighted the enthusiastic response from youngsters across the country.
“Lakhs of youth across the country have been actively participating in every street, on every ground, to come out to play for one hour. I am glad to say that under Modi ji’s leadership, the country is changing, the country is moving forward, a new India is being built,” Mandaviya said.
The Sports Minister linked the fitness drive directly to the nation’s developmental aspirations.
“In fulfilling Modi ji’s vision of building a new India, we must also envision everyone to be fit, society should be healthy. That is what will help us become a prosperous nation. Let’s all spend one hour every week on the playing field, and pay attention to our health,” he said.
From playing field to national development
Meghwal, too, underlined the role of sport in maintaining both physical and mental well-being, drawing upon his own lifelong engagement with games.
“Sports have always been a part of my life, from kabaddi and football to playing badminton almost every day. My personal motto is ‘morning music and evening play’. Regular participation in sports keeps us physically fit, healthy and free from mental stress.”
He described the Prime Minister’s call for an hour of sports as important for India’s future.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s call to dedicate one hour to sports on National Sports Day is vital for India. It supports the ‘Hum Fit Toh India Fit’ initiative and plays an important role in building a developed nation.”
The message was unmistakable: India’s sporting ambitions cannot depend only on elite athletes. They must begin with millions of ordinary citizens moving, playing and participating.
Ministry XI delivers a winning performance
The celebrations also carried a competitive edge.
A four-team cricket competition featuring Ministry XI, SAI XI, Media XI and Influencers XI was organised as part of the National Sports Day programme.
Ministry XI, led by Mandaviya and featuring Department of Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao and ministry officials, registered a convincing victory over Media XI in the opening match.
The Influencers XI brought together prominent social media personalities and Fit India Ambassadors, adding a contemporary youth-oriented dimension to the celebrations.
The tournament, alongside football and tug-of-war, reinforced the central theme of the day: participation matters as much as performance.
Dhyan Chand’s legacy, India’s future
Major Dhyan Chand’s legacy provided the inspirational backdrop to the celebrations.
His name remains synonymous with Indian hockey’s golden era and with the extraordinary skill, discipline and sporting excellence that can turn an individual into a national icon.
But National Sports Day 2026 sought to take that legacy beyond remembrance.
It brought together young people, sportspersons, government representatives, sports administrators, media professionals, influencers and fitness enthusiasts, all around one larger objective—creating a culture in which sport becomes an integral part of everyday life.
The challenge now is to ensure that the enthusiasm generated on National Sports Day does not end when the celebrations do.
Because India’s next Major Dhyan Chand, next Olympic champion or next world-beating athlete may not yet be inside a stadium.
He or she could be waiting on a neighbourhood playground, holding a cricket bat, kicking a football, tying a shoelace—or simply waiting for someone to say: “Come, let’s play.”
