Adopt sportspersons of Haryana, Minister to NRIs

Gurugram: Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal on Tuesday urged Indian diaspora from Haryana to "adopt" the sportspersons of the state from their early age so as to groom them.

The Minister was addressing first-ever two-day Pravasi Haryana Divas that kicked off on Tuesday at Kingdom of Dreams here.

More than 400 expats of Haryanvi origin from 33 countries attended the celebrations on Tuesday.

While lauding the sportspersons of Haryana for their outstanding contribution in the field of sports at national and international level, Goyal exhorted the 'Pravasi Haryanvis' (expatriates from Haryana) to adopt the Haryana sportspersons so as to groom them.

The Minister, whose maternal grandparents come from Gohana in Haryana, said the state has made tremendous progress in the last five decades.

He was all praise for the initiatives taken by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to make Haryana free of open defecation and kerosene-use.

He also praised the housing schemes being implemented in the state to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Housing for All by 2022'.

Noted cricketer Kapil Dev also appreciated the manner in which the sports culture has developed in the state with its sportspersons bringing laurels in national and international sports meets.

He said that the daughters of Haryana have done proud to the state in various sports meets.