'Why PM Modi was not there in our era', Olympic medalist Malleswari shares what changed after 2014
Malleswari, the country's weightlifting icon, on Tuesday shared an instance of the changing dynamics and support apparatus for various sports after 2014, when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, and also went to rue as to why the sportsmen of her era didn't have the support of a warm and affable leader like him.
In a video shared by Modi Story, a popular social media handle on X, Karnam Malleswari recounts how her request to PM Modi was immediately acknowledged and responded to. She also explains how PM Modi's encouraging words pump up the sportsmen and also how his comforting words mean a lot to them in troubled times.
"Before 2014, athletes chased their dreams in silence - training hard, winning medals, yet receiving little support. Today, PM Modi not only sees their struggles - he stands by them, supports them, and celebrates their spirit," the Modi Story wrote on X.
Sharing her story, Malleswari said, "I wrote a letter to PM Modi, seeking his visit to my Sports Academy in Yamunangar. But I was doubtful about it, given his busy schedule. One Sunday, I received a call from the Prime Minister's Office and was told that my letter had been acknowledged and that he would be meeting me very soon."
"The day I met PM Modi was very special. He not only reassured us of all support but also made us feel comfortable. He touched my forehead and gave us all his blessings," she said, recounting the last month's event.
She further said that before 2014, the sporting fraternity had to struggle a lot, but now the focus on games and sports has seen a 360-degree change.
"PM Modi himself takes the lead, meets sportspersons and pats their back and even consoles them in difficult times. This makes me feel as to -- why there was no leader like PM Modi during our era," she said in the video.
Karnam, a two-time world champion and a two-time Asian Games silver medal winner, holds the distinguished honour of being the first woman from India to win a medal at the Olympics. She bagged the bronze medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
She has been conferred with numerous prestigious awards by the Indian government, including the Arjuna Award (1994), Khel Ratna (1999) and the Padma Shri (1999).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
20 minutes ago
- India.com
Has The Fall of The US Dollar Begun? Why India And China's Rise Has Experts Sounding The Alarm
New Delhi: The long-standing dominance of the U.S. dollar is beginning to erode, and emerging economic powers such as India and China are steadily gaining ground, according to American economist Gerald Celente. He warns that the balance of global financial power is shifting, with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) challenging U.S.-led economic policies and international influence. His remarks come at a time of mounting trade tensions between the United States and BRICS nations. America recently imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, with a 50% duty being rolled out in two phases, the first 25% already in effect and the remainder set to be implemented from August 27. The Trump administration has justified the measure by citing India's continued purchase of Russian oil. Brazil has also been targeted with similar tariffs, deepening the diplomatic rift. Speaking on a podcast hosted by Cuban-American journalist Rick Sanchez, Celente explained why India is unwilling to bow to U.S. pressure. He said only around 2% of India's GDP is tied to trade with Washington, making New Delhi less vulnerable to economic retaliation. According to him, India is increasingly becoming a self-reliant nation, which produces a large share of its goods domestically, a stage the United States itself once experienced before becoming heavily dependent on global supply chains. The economist also reflected on China's transformation from a nation once lacking advanced industry to a leader in manufacturing and technology, particularly in sectors such as electric vehicles. Western nations, he said, initially helped establish China's industrial base but now face competition from it. Much like India, China is moving towards greater self-sufficiency and reducing its reliance on foreign imports. Celente was critical of what he sees as America's tendency to dictate economic policy to other sovereign nations, arguing that Washington has no legitimate authority to influence the internal economic decisions of independent states. He believes this overreach is contributing to a growing resentment toward U.S. dominance across much of the world. With BRICS now representing over 40% of the global population, the scale of this shift is significant. India and China each have around 1.4 billion citizens, compared to the United States' population of 347 million. This demographic advantage, coupled with increasing trade within the bloc, gives BRICS members leverage in challenging the U.S.-led financial system. Celente predicts a bleak future for the U.S. dollar, describing the current trajectory as 'the death of the dollar'. He attributes part of the decline to U.S. monetary policy decisions, including the 2018 interest rate cuts under President Donald Trump. In his view, the American economy is on a downward slope, and the weakening of the dollar is already well underway. The BRICS nations have been actively working to reduce dependence on the dollar in international trade, seeking to bypass Western-dominated financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. If this trend continues, Celente warns, the dollar's role as the world's primary reserve currency could diminish far sooner than Washington expects.
Deccan Herald
35 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Kujur, Sreeshankar, Annu shine
Star sprinter Animesh Kujur, veteran javelin thrower Annu Rani, and long jump ace Murali Sreeshankar lived up to expectations by winning their respective events at India's maiden World Athletics Continental Tour competition here on Sunday. The bronze level event went off smoothly but the quality of competitions did not rise to any great heights. There was drama in store for Kujur. The 22-year-old pulled up after a few paces in his men's 100m heat race in the morning. He then came out to run his 200m heat half an hour later and qualified for the final with a time of 20.99 seconds. In the evening, he ran 20.77 seconds in the 200m final to win the gold. Ko Seunghwan of Korea (20.95 seconds) and Indian Ragul Kumar (21.17 seconds) were second and third respectively. Kujur, representing Odisha, holds national records in both 100m (10.18 seconds) and 200m (20.32 seconds). Sreeshankar, representing JSW, was up against rising teenager Shahnavaz Khan, who won gold in the Uttarakhand National Games in February. The 17-year-old Khan was leading with his fourth round jump of 8.04m, while Sreeshankar was second with 7.95m. But the 26-year-old produced 8.13m in his final attempt to take the gold in dramatic fashion for his fourth title in a row since coming back from a long injury lay-off. He is, however, yet to breach the Tokyo World Championships direct entry mark of 8.27m. In women's javelin, Asian Games champion Annu Rani bagged the gold with a fourth round throw of 62.01m, thereby strengthening her chances of making it to the Tokyo World Championships in September. The men's javelin event disappointed the crowd at the Kalinga Stadium as the Indian participants barely crossed the 80m mark. India's 20-year-old Shivam Lohakare, the latest entrant in the 80m club at the Indian Open Athletics Meet in Pune last month with 80.95m, took the silver with 80.73m.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
‘Even Toilet Paper Will Cost More': Late-Night Comedians Colbert, Fallon Roast Trump's India Tariffs With Brutal Punchlines
Washington: US President Donald Trump's trade policy has drawn fire not only from diplomats and economists, but from America's most popular late-night comedians. Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon used their Thursday shows to take aim at his new 50 percent tariff on Indian goods. The penalty on India comes in two stages: a 25 percent hike that came into effect from August 7, followed by another 25 per cent due on August 27. Washington says the move is punishment for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil. The tariffs apply to a long list of products, from medical supplies to everyday consumer items. On The Late Show, Colbert went straight for humour. He told viewers that the tariffs would push up the price of gauze, bandages and even wading. 'Perfect time to introduce my new product, Steve's wad. What is in them? What do you care? You are bleeding. It is a wad,' he joked. He kept the jabs coming. 'I hope you remembered to set your clocks back to 'more expensive',' Colbert said, referring to the scale of the global tariff rollout. He called the hikes 'huge' and emphasised that they raised import taxes to the highest level since the Great Depression of 1929. 'Never a great sign to be compared to the worst thing ever,' he quipped. Colbert pointed out that Brazil, like India, is also facing the full 50 percent tariff. 'Bad news for meat-based Americans,' he deadpanned. Jimmy Fallon, who hosts NBC's Tonight Show, joined in the mockery. 'Today more of President Trump's tariffs went into effect for more than 90 countries, including Canada, Brazil and India. The only places Trump did not charge are North Korea and Epstein Island,' he told his audience. The line landed in the wake of renewed scrutiny of the Trump's administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Fallon said that Brazil's tariff will hit tropical fruit prices hard. 'Fifty per cent on Brazil will dramatically raise the price of bananas, mangos and pineapples. Edible Arrangements was like, 'As long as you do not raise the price of cantaloupe and long toothpicks, we are good,'' he said. Even everyday staples, Fallon warned, would not be spared. 'Toilet paper will get more expensive. You know it is bad when people come out of the bathroom like, 'Hey, where is that long CVS receipt?'' he said. Covering over 90 nations, the latest round of tariffs has set the stage for a prolonged trade confrontation. In the meantime, Colbert and Fallon seem determined to keep turning the policy into late-night punchlines.
