New Delhi:
India has the potential to produce 100 Usain Bolts if everyone comes together and pitches in to change the country's sports culture, exuded Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
Rathore said that the government is making many efforts to improve the selection process at the school level including the national-level talent hunts scheduled around May-June next year.
"In India, there is skill based selections so other countries are able to outrun us, we want to change that.
"Someone who is 5 feet 11 inches at the age of 12 should be selected for volleyball or basketball teams while somebody with no hand-eye coordination but runs extremely fast should be put in for 100 metre running," said Rathore.
"I firmly believe that a country with 1.25 billion population has the capability of producing 100 Usain Bolts," said Rathore.
Rathore said the government's focus was to promote sports among the school children and encourage them to participate at the regional and national levels.
"We have for the first time got a sports broadcaster that will broadcast live the national school sports events. There is maximum audience at a school event but you have zero audiences at a National event," Rathore said.
"A useless piece of land next to the Sabarmati, that housed decapitated government buildings, has been converted into an international class stadium. Such projects help use the land better and also generate revenue," said Rathore.
