Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday described sports as an essential aspect of India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation. In his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the PM said the country has come a long way from the time when sports was not seen as a viable career option.

“Sports is an essential aspect of development and I am happy that from the time when parents used to scoff at children spending time in sports, we have reached a point where this has changed. Now, parents are happy if children take interest in sports,” Modi said as guests like double Olympic-medallist shooter Manu Bhaker applauded. “I consider it a good omen. It fills me with pride to see sports finding a space in Indian families. It is good for India’s future,” he said.

Referring to the National Sports Policy, the PM said, “We will develop an ecosystem, whether it is coaching, fitness or infrastructure. We will create an ecosystem that penetrates the remotest corners of the country.”

The PM said the government’s Khelo Bharat Policy is ensuring robust development in the field of sports. “To boost sports, we have, after many decades, introduced the Khelo Bharat Policy, aimed at ensuring the holistic growth of the sporting sector. From school-level games to the Olympics, our goal is to build a complete and robust ecosystem for sports.

Stating that fitness is an important part of sporting culture, Modi said, “For that, the nation needs to fight obesity by cutting down consumption of oil. When I talk of fitness and sports, I want to talk about obesity, which is a huge problem for the country. It is predicted that every third person is expected to be obese in future.”