Bareilly: Sports play a vital role in shaping character and building a strong nation, said Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University Vice-Chancellor Professor Anil Kumar Rai at a Youth Sports Dialogue organised jointly by the university and Kreeda Bharati in Bareilly.
The programme was held at the Professor S.B. Singh Auditorium in the university’s MBA Department. It witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, researchers, faculty members and sports enthusiasts.
The event began with the garlanding of the statue of Goddess Saraswati and the lighting of the ceremonial lamp.
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Prof. Rai said sports should not be viewed merely as physical activities, as they play an important role in developing discipline, teamwork, leadership and personal character.
Referring to the programme’s theme, ‘Building Character through Sports, Building the Nation through Character’, he said sporting activities help young people develop qualities that contribute to nation-building.
He also reaffirmed the university administration’s commitment to expanding sports facilities on campus and encouraging students and athletes to pursue sporting activities.
Prasad Mahanakar, National Organising Secretary of Kreeda Bharati, attended as the keynote speaker. He emphasised the importance of sports in the lives of young people and said greater participation by youth was necessary to establish India as a leading sporting nation globally. He added that Kreeda Bharati was working towards this objective.
Dr Keshav Agarwal, Chancellor of Bareilly International University and chairperson of the programme, highlighted the growing career opportunities in the sports sector. He encouraged young people to explore professional opportunities in sports alongside traditional career choices.
An interactive session formed an important part of the programme, with students and sportspersons asking questions and engaging with the speakers on various aspects of sports, career opportunities and youth participation.
The programme was coordinated by the Kreeda Bharati team, with the participation of several office-bearers from the Braj region and Bareilly district. Those present included Rohit Dixit, Regional Secretary, Braj region; Rampal Singh Yadav, Vice-President; Dr Shiv Ram Sharma, Publicity Head; Dharmendra Sharma, Sports Centre Head; Pramod Mishra, Yoga Head; Dr Saurabh Verma, Outreach Head; Kailash Bisht, Joint Treasurer; and Kanchan Mishra, Women’s Wing Head.
Several other regional and district office-bearers, including Padamveer Singh, District President, Bareilly, and Dr Pramendra Maheshwari, Metropolitan President, Bareilly, also attended.
The programme concluded with the National Anthem and a collective pledge under the slogan, ‘Khelega Bharat Toh Khilega Bharat’ (India will flourish when it plays).
A large number of university faculty members, research scholars, students and Kreeda Bharati volunteers participated in the event.
Report by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena, Bareilly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RtToJsBhYBatUrym&v=mOuYNSdhjHA&feature=youtu.be
