At PM's Uttarakhand rally, people congratulate Asian Games medalists by turning on mobilephones' flash light

Pithoragarh: People at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally here in Uttarakhand on Thursday turned on the flash lights of their mobile-phones on his request to congratulate players from the state who won medals at the Asian Games.

The world is watching India's strength in the field of sports and in the recently concluded Asian Games, India has won more than 100 medals for the first time, Modi said.

Eight sportspersons from Uttarakhand were among those who won medals at the Asian Games, he said.

The children of Uttarakhand have done wonders, so everyone should raise their hands and turn on the flash light of their mobile-phones to congratulate the players, the prime minister said. When he said this, people switched on the flash light of their phones.

Expressing his gratitude to them, Prime Minister Modi said, "You have added a new colour to this place today. This is a greeting to the children of Uttarakhand."

The government is providing full support to players and is spending crores of rupees on their food and modern training so that they can keep the country's tricolour flying high across the world, he said.

The government is building playgrounds at various places so that players do not have to go far to play, Modi said.

The foundation stone laying today of an astroturf hockey ground in Haldwani and Velo Drome stadium in Rudrapur are steps towards providing better facilities to the sportspersons in the state, the prime minister said.