Moodbidri : All State governments should come up with their own sports policy to encourage sportspersons and ensure their well-being, said Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sports and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju here on Thursday.

Inaugurating the 80th All-India Inter-University Athletics Championship at Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, Mr. Rijiju said no sportsperson who has represented the country should be in distress. Mr. Rijiju said the Ministry of Sports was trying to ensure that all such sportspersons are looked after through their lifetime. The Ministry is providing medical and other assistance to help them live with dignity. “Under no circumstance should their head bow down. They deserve the utmost respect,” the Minister said.

Stressing the need to change people’s outlook towards sports, Mr. Rijiju said developing a sporting culture was important. Everybody, including elected representatives, should get involved in one sport or another, he said. “The new India should be a fit India and there will be no place for unfit persons. The Sports Ministry has started issuing ‘Fit School’ certificates to schools that promote sports,” he said.

He also said that India was looking beyond the Tokyo Olympics, which is eight months away. Certain policies are being put in place to ensure that India emerges a sporting superpower by identifying and nurturing true sporting talent for the Paris and Los Angeles Olympics, he said.

As many as 7,500 athletes from 350 universities from across the country are participating in the competition, jointly hosted by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Alva’s Education Foundation, and the Association of Indian Universities. The championship will end on January 6.

Minister for Toursim, Kannada and Culture, C.T. Ravi, RGUHS Vice-Chancellor S. Sacchidanand, Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian, and Alva’s foundation chairman M. Mohan Alva attended the programme.