Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha on Saturday urged players to make full use of the state’s growing sports infrastructure and encouraged children to participate more in sports along with their studies.

He was speaking at the state-level celebration of National Sports Day 2025 at Dasarath Dev State Sports Complex, Badharghat, Agartala.

Highlighting the significance of the occasion, Dr Saha said that August 29, the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, is observed as National Sports Day across the country.

“Major Dhyan Chand is a shining example of how dedication and perseverance can take a person to great heights. His extraordinary contribution to Indian hockey brought global recognition to the country,” the Chief Minister said.

Dr Saha noted that Tripura has no shortage of talent and that many youngsters from the state are excelling in gymnastics, athletics, swimming, and other disciplines at national and international levels.

He stressed that the players must practice with dedication, confidence, and make the best use of modern infrastructure being developed by the government.

“Earlier, players did not receive much respect. But since 2018, after the formation of the BJP-led government, several initiatives have been taken for players, including the Chief Minister’s Sports Development Scheme,” he added.

The Chief Minister also underlined the role of coaches in nurturing talent, stating that coaches must continuously update themselves and adapt to new methods of training.

“When a player succeeds, the credit also goes to the coach,” he said.

Calling for discipline among players, Dr Saha urged them to stay away from distractions and focus on both physical and mental strength.

He further mentioned that the government is exploring possibilities of offering job opportunities to players based on their achievements in the field.

The event was attended by Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Tinku Roy, Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, MLA Mina Rani Sarkar, West Tripura Zilla Parishad's acting Sabhadhipati Biswajit Shil, Secretary of Tripura Sports Council Sukanta Ghosh, Youth Affairs & Sports Secretary Pradip Kumar Chakraborty, Director L. Darlong, Padma Shri Dipa Karmakar and other dignitaries.