Panchkula, May 10: World record holder and Paralympic Games gold medalist Sumit Antil said on Tuesday that he is glad an initiative to educate school children about a balanced and nutritious diet has been launched across India.
Sumit, who had broken the world record multiple times (in the men’s javelin throw F64 category) visited the local school in Panchkula to talk about the importance of having a balanced diet.
“I am really grateful to Prime Minister Modi for initiating such an initiative as the format will create a ripple effect in the country and help spread the message of a balanced and nutritious diet in India,” he said.
Antil, who was born in the Sonipat district of Haryana, then went on to talk about the local foods that are available throughout the state and how rich they are in all forms of vitamins, protein, fiber and carbohydrates that are required by the body.
He also had an interactive quiz session with the students where they were able to ask him questions about sports, fitness and eating habits, and how one can become an athlete.
The ‘Meet the Champions’ initiative is part of the government’s ‘Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ which was initiated by Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra in December 2021 and carried forward by Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang Punia in Haryana in January of 2022.
In the last six months, the unique interactive session has already reached hundreds of schools in various parts of the country including Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Srinagar, Jammu, Bihar and Gujarat.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports jointly organize the unique school visit campaign, where Olympic and Paralympic athletes share their own experiences, life lessons, tips on how to eat well, and also give an overall inspirational boost. to school children.