Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Jammu and Kashmir for achieving significant milestones in the sports sector, despite the challenges of floods and rains.While delivering the 125th episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi said that the region recently witnessed events of historic importance, including the Royal Premier League (RPL) and the country’s first Khelo India Water Sports Festival at Dal Lake.
He highlighted how Pulwama successfully hosted the first-ever day-night cricket match as part of the RPL. “Thousands of people, especially youth, enjoying cricket at night in Pulwama — it was a sight to behold,” Modi remarked, adding that the enthusiasm in the stadium was unprecedented.
The Prime Minister further appreciated the water sports festival held in Srinagar, where more than 800 athletes from across India participated, including women in almost equal numbers as men. He said Madhya Pradesh secured the highest medal tally, followed by Haryana and Odisha.
During his address, Modi shared his interactions with two participants — Rashmita Sahoo from Odisha, who has won 41 medals since 2017, and Mohsin Ali from Srinagar, who bagged gold at the festival and spoke of Kashmir’s hospitality towards visiting athletes.
