Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the country’s youth, including sportspersons, on Thursday, August 27, 2026, as part of the nationwide programme ‘Khelo India Samvaad – Khel Ki Baat, PM Ke Saath’. This virtual address will take place two days ahead of National Sports Day, which is celebrated on August 29, marking the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand.
The programme, a major initiative of the Sports Ministry, aims to create a direct dialogue between sports-loving youth and India’s policymakers. It will be held across more than 1,500 locations, including IITs, IIMs, NITs, AIIMS, premier medical colleges, and universities. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the programme will provide young people with an opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, and suggestions.
Key excerpts from the Prime Minister’s Independence Day message on Sports and Youth Power will be showcased, followed by his virtual address. The programme will begin with a welcome by MY Bharat volunteers and a special video presentation highlighting the transformational changes in India’s sporting ecosystem over the past 12 years. Physical programmes will commence at 1,500+ locations across the country after the Prime Minister’s address.
Leading former and current Indian athletes, including Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha, will interact with the youth of the country. Other prominent sportspersons participating in the programme include Manika Batra, Deepa Karmakar, Saina Nehwal, Gagan Narang, Sreejesh, Mary Kom, Baichung Bhutia, Pullela Gopichand, Anju Bobby George, Karnam Malleswari, Mirabai Chanu, and some cricketers. They will share their journeys, challenges, failures, successes, and sporting experiences with young participants.
The objective of the event is to inspire young people with the belief that a champion’s journey does not begin in a grand stadium, but with a small field and a first attempt. Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies, Union Ministers, Ministers of State, and State Sports Ministers will participate in the programme, engaging with youth and seeking their ideas and suggestions on four key themes related to sports and youth.
The programme’s key objectives include strengthening the sports ecosystem, nurturing talent for the 2036 Olympics, strengthening youth leadership, and increasing youth participation in governance. The suggestions gathered through the programme will be taken directly to policymakers and the wider sports ecosystem, helping connect ground-level experiences and youth aspirations with policy making.
