Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi spoke with the Indian team leaving for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 today, through video conferencing. The interaction was attended by both athletes and their coaches.  Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs, Sports, and Information & Broadcasting, as well as the Secretary for Sports, were also in attendance.

On International Chess Day, July 20,  the Prime Minister sent greetings to the Indian team competing in the Commonwealth Games. Tamil Nadu is also hosting the Chess Olympiad beginning on July 28. He desired that they would uphold the traditions of their forebears and make India proud. More than 65 competitors are competing in Commonwealth for the first time, he announced, and he intended for them to have a huge effect. "Play with all your heart, play fiercely, play with full force, and play without any tension," he told them.

The Prime Minister asked Shri Avinash Sable, a Maharashtrian athlete, about his life experiences as a Maharashtrian who served in the Indian Army in Siachen during the interaction. He said that during his four years in the Indian Army, he learned a lot. He said that the training and discipline he gained in the Indian Army would help him excel in whichever area he chose.

The prime minister continued by asking West Bengalian weightlifter Achinta Sheuli, who competes in the 73 kg division, how he manages to blend the strength of weightlifting in his sport with his calm demeanour.

The Prime Minister also asked him how he handles the injuries that come with playing the game. The Prime Minister wished him well in his endeavours and commended his family, particularly his mother and brother, for seeing to it that all of Achinta's requirements were satisfied, which helped him get to where he is now.

The prime minister spoke with Keralan badminton player Ms. Treesa Jolly. PM enquired her decision to play badminton given that her hometown of Kannur is known for farming and football.  The prime minister spoke with Jharkhand-born hockey player Salima Tete. The PM inquired about her and her father's experiences playing hockey.

The Commonwealth Games 2022 is scheduled to be held in Birmingham from 28th July till 8th August 2022. A total of 215 athletes, partaking in 141 events across 19 sporting disciplines, will represent India in the Commonwealth Games 2022.

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