Tokyo Olympics success marks beginning of golden era in Indian sports, says Fit India Brand Ambassador Rana

The brilliant success of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics is the beginning of a golden era in Indian sports, said Fit India Movement Brand Ambassador Dr Arjunsinh Rana on Friday.

India won seven medals in the Tokyo Games and recorded 19 medals in the Paralympics last month. It was a much improved performance from the previous editions in Rio Games in 2016.

Arjunsinh Rana has given credit for the recent success of various policies and sports promotion activities run by the government in the last few years.

“There is no doubt that Indian athletes and para athletes have made the nation proud with their outstanding performances in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. This phenomenal success was not achieved overnight. It was the fruit of the government's sincere efforts by launching projects like Khelo India and Fit India Movement in the last few years,” said Rana while talking to Sportskeeda.

Rana, who is also the vice chancellor of Swarnim Gujarat Sports University, Gandhinagar, was in Nagpur as a chief guest to attend the program organized by Maitree Parivar on Friday.

Rana praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his constant encouragement to sports. He said:

“It is Modi Ji’s birthday today and he must be a satisfied person as far as Indian athletes’ performance in Tokyo Games is concerned. He was the brainchild who introduced Khelo India and the Fit India Movement to boost and spread awareness about sports."

"The ambitious project has started giving results and hopefully it will continue to give better results in the future. The brilliant success of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympis is the beginning of a golden era in sports as far as India is concerned,” added Rana.

The seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics included the first ever gold medal in athletics when Neeraj Chopra broke the jinx. Neeraj Chopra created history on August 7, 2021 as he became India’s first athlete to win gold in track and field in the Olympics. He threw the javelin to a distance of 87.58m to clinch the gold medal.

Rana, who has been given the responsibility to spread awareness about health and fitness by the Central Government, has been continuously working throughout India as a Fit India Brand Ambassador.

Swarnim Gujarat Sports University Vice Chancellor Dr Arjunsinh Rana

"The Government and Sports Ministry are serious about the improvement in sports standard. They want every child to play some kind of sports to stay fit and healthy. If more kids are involved in sports then we can have a sports culture in India. Developed nations like the USA and most of the European countries introduce sports in school and colleges from the beginning."

"India is also trying hard to make sports compulsory in every school and college throughout the nation. The more players, the more we gain. Quality comes from quantity,” said Rana.

Rana, a former long distance runner and Gujarat University cricketer, said that "Fit India Youth Club" will be formed in every school and college after the pandemic gets over.

Formation of Fit India Youth Club will boost sports among students: Rana

Physical education teachers and sports teachers will play an important role in implementing the Fit India Youth Club among schools and colleges.

“Fit India Youth Club will be formed in schools and colleges when the regular academic session begins. The vice-chancellor of a particular university will be the overall in-charge of the Fit India Youth Club in his area."

"Sports teachers from schools and colleges will co-ordinate and run the club as per the guidelines of Khelo India and Fit India Movements. It will make a huge difference in the overall improvement of sports,” said Rana.

Rana has been associated with the Saurashtra Cricket Association for more than two decades. He has also been appointed as a sports physiotherapist and trainer with the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore from the very first day of its establishment by the BCCI.

United work of SAI, Sports Ministry, Khelo India and Fit India Movement will improve standards: Rana

Proper coordination and joint efforts by the government, sports ministry, SAI, Khelo India and Fit India Movement will yield results in the coming years, said Rana.

“Our cricket team is one of the best in the world, if not the best. Government’s aim is to make Olympic sports reach greater heights in the future by injecting correct policies and professionalism like cricket."

"If the Sports Ministry, Khelo India, Fit India Movement and Sports Authority of India work unitedly in the coming years, India will certainly win more medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics,” said Rana, a former physio with the Indian cricket team.

Rana has worked closely with Rodney Marsh, Andrew Leipus, John Wright and various international coaches and experts in cricket. He has been the physiotherapist and trainer of the senior Indian cricket team as well as India Under-19 and India ‘A’ cricket teams.