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A student's suggestion during an interaction with Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal at Dibrugarh University during the 'Khelo India Dialogue' has led to the announcement of a swimming pool on the university campus.

Sonowal also announced a national sports excursion for the university's top-performing athletes.

Student's Idea Addresses Local Need

During the interaction, a student raised the need for swimming facilities at the university and asked whether students could be taught swimming, particularly as Dibrugarh and surrounding areas are prone to flooding. Taking note of the suggestion, Sonowal announced that an immediate initiative would be taken to develop a swimming pool within the university campus. The student's intervention brought a practical dimension to the dialogue, highlighting how sports infrastructure can also address local needs.

Besides promoting swimming as a competitive sport, the proposed facility would provide students an opportunity to acquire important water-safety and life skills in a flood-prone region.

"The suggestion raised by the student today reflects the kind of practical thinking and awareness we want to encourage among our young people. In a flood-prone region like Dibrugarh and other adjoining areas, learning to swim is not only about pursuing a sport but also about developing an essential life skill. The proposed swimming pool will create an opportunity for students to learn, train and pursue swimming in a structured environment," Sonowal said.

'Khelo India' and a Vision for Sports

Sonowal also joined the students in listening to an address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country's youth. He interacted with the students on the role of sports and fitness in building a healthy and resilient society.

Indian football legend and former national team captain Baichung Bhutia was also present at the programme and addressed the students. His remarks and interaction with the students added to the sporting focus of the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said the enthusiasm displayed by students towards sports was encouraging. He said sports are an important means of building healthy individuals and a healthy society and should become an integral part of the lives of young people.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has given unprecedented importance to sports, fitness and the development of young sporting talent through initiatives such as Khelo India and Fit India. Our focus is to take this sporting culture deeper into educational institutions, provide young athletes with better infrastructure and exposure, and create opportunities for the youth of Assam and the Northeast to compete and excel at the national and international levels," Sonowal said.

Sonowal highlighted Prime Minister Modi's 'Fit India' vision and his call to make sports an integral part of everyday life. He said the focus on sports was not limited to developing international-level athletes but also aimed at encouraging young people to lead healthier lives and contribute to building a stronger and self-reliant India.

National Exposure for Top Athletes

Sonowal further announced that Dibrugarh University's top-performing athletes would undertake a national sports excursion. The exposure visit will give promising athletes an opportunity to experience a premier national sports training ecosystem and gain insights into high-performance training and sporting practices.

The programme saw enthusiastic participation from students, who interacted with the speakers and shared their views and suggestions on sports and fitness. Sonowal said the combination of student-led suggestions, better sporting infrastructure and exposure to national-level training facilities can help strengthen the sporting ecosystem and create greater opportunities for young athletes from Assam and the Northeast. (ANI)