NEW DELHI: On India’s 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Olympic contingent at his residence to congratulate their efforts. The athletes expressed gratitude for the meeting, citing it as a source of motivation and inspiration.
Bronze medallist shooter Swapnil Kusale gifted the Prime Minister a Lord Ganesha idol. He spoke about the positive energy he received from the meeting and his plans to resume training after a break.
“It felt really nice meeting PM Modi. It gives a lot of positive energy. I presented him with a Lord Ganesha idol. He is very calm and motivating. He congratulated me on my medal and I felt proud for it. I will take a break for now but later I will start shooting once again, it is my life,” said Kusale, as quoted by ANI.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, who narrowly missed a medal, emphasized the significance of the Prime Minister’s consistent support, regardless of the athletes’ performance.

“It was really good (meeting with PM). He gave us a lot of motivation and inspiration. He wished us luck before the Olympics. It is a big thing for us that he interacted with us both before the Olympics and after it, even though some of us did not get a medal. He told us that we have a long way to go in our careers and can do a lot of things,” said Chanu.
Fourteen-year-old swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu, the youngest member of the contingent, expressed her honour and excitement at meeting the Prime Minister. Despite not advancing past the heats in her debut Olympic appearance, her participation underscores India’s emerging talent in swimming.
Notable achievements in the Paris 2024 Olympics include the men’s hockey team winning consecutive bronze medals after a 52-year gap, Manu Bhaker becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympics since 1900, Swapnil Kusale securing bronze in the men’s rifle shooting, Neeraj Chopra winning silver in javelin throw, and wrestler Aman Sehrawat earning bronze in his Olympic debut.