Sports Ministry to launch short movies on journey of Tokyo-bound Indian athletes

To celebrate the occasion of 50 days to the Tokyo Olympics, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) is all set to launch short movies on the journey of Tokyo-bound Indian athletes on June 3, 2021.

The films, charting the journey of India's prominent sportspersons from their early days to the Olympic participation will be launched on June 3 and it will be shown every day in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics that is slated to begin on July 23, 2021.

The series -- Olympics Ki Aasha -- will celebrate stories of grit, passion, and determination of India's elite athletes and pay homage to what it has taken to reach the highest level of sporting excellence.

This is for the first time that the Sports Ministry has created a series of films on India's Olympic hopefuls with the aim to not just cheer for our sports stars but also to motivate future generations of athletes.

Speaking about the decision to create these films, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju said, "Our athletes are our national assets. They put in years of focused hard work, often at the cost of their personal lives, to bring glory to the country. These films are an ode to their unwavering hard work and dedication to their game. I invite the entire nation, especially our youngsters, to watch these inspirational stories and cheer for our athletes as they prepare to compete in the biggest sporting event in the world." The first film to be telecast on June 3 is that of Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, who in the 2016 edition of the Olympic Games, had also won India its first Olympic silver medal in Badminton. She is also the ruling World Champion.

In her movie, while speaking of her journey, Sindhu recalls the time just before the 2019 Badminton World Championship, and says she was really "desperate to win" the elusive gold medal and that she had tears in her eyes after winning the final match.

Sindhu's story would be followed by that of wrestler Vinesh Phogat, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, boxer MC Mary Kom and wrestler Bajrang Punia, amongst many others, who all recall the glorious sporting moments and personal hurdles that helped them reach The Tokyo Olympics.

( With inputs from ANI )