For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, since his early days as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, “sports are not merely about a handful of people playing on a field. Instead, it is an arena that showcases the spirit of a new India - a young, restless, and energetic nation excelling on the world stage,” "Igniting Collective Goodness," Chapter 13.

"Igniting Collective Goodness" reminds us, in each of its chapters, of the leadership and common sense offered to the citizens of India through the vehicle of Mann Ki Baat.

Citing this inclusiveness of all parties - the specially-abled in addition to traditional participants, in Modi’s view, “becomes the responsibility of the entire nation to ensure a change in the mindset and that persons with disabilities are not denied the opportunities they deserve.”

The PM's ethos of creating a stronger and more holistic education system is driven by his guiding principles of Jan Bhagidari (People’s Participation), which has led to true development and empowerment of the poorest.

When the PM on his radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat speaks of Olympic Games, he includes the Paralympics in the same breath, giving them the same weight. This is extraordinary, in my opinion, and speaks to his commitment to inclusivity and lifting up those individuals who may otherwise go unnoticed in their extraordinary achievements.

In one of the episodes of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Modi dedicated an entire segment to discussing the balance between sports and academics among the children of the nation. “...The more we support sports, the more we also see the spirit of sportsmanship. Sports play an important role in personality development too. There is no dearth of talent in this country. If the children in our family are interested in sports, they should be given opportunities. They should not be forced off the playing fields to be locked in rooms with books.”

"Igniting Collective Goodness" continues, “Whenever the subject of sports and games is touched upon, the entire young generation naturally comes into view. And when we look keenly at the young generation, we notice a sweeping change there. The mind of youth has transformed, and today’s young minds, shunning obsolete age-old methods and patterns, want to do something new altogether, something different. Today’s young minds do not want to walk on the ready-made well-trodden paths of the past,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, while encouraging sports among the youth on one of the later episodes of the radio programme.

The PM praised the enthusiasm among the youth regarding sports. Equally, he has bridged the gap between rural and urban India by using the glue of sports. He also spoke about the increasing dominance of Indian players and the emergence of a new image of Indian sports, the sporting world. For instance, in Khelo India Youth Games, besides disciplines that were part of the Olympics, five indigenous sports - Gatka, Thang Ta, Yogasan, Kalaripayattu, and Mallakhamb - were also included.

In his endeavours to appreciate sports and sportspersons, one of the Prime Minister’s strongest vehicles has been the Mann Ki Baat platform. Reaching wide swaths of the population, encouraging involvement in sports as a mass movement throughout India. “The Prime Minister clearly understands that when major tournaments come to India, it is a win-win scenario for all of India. For one, sporting infrastructure is greatly enhanced. Secondly, our citizens get an opportunity to watch matches, and it is also a boost for tourism and other economic activities.”

“He has set the goal for us, as a nation, to set our eyes on creating and fostering a culture that thrives on sports.”