Sports should be compulsory part of education: PM

New Delhi, Apr 28 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made a strong pitch for making sports and games a compulsory part of school and college syllabi to raise India's madals' tally at international events and make the youth healthy and physically fit.

Countries that stand out in the world of sports are the ones that have in fact made them an integral part of their educational curricula, Dr Singh pointed out for driving home his contention.

Inaugurating the Indian Olympic Bhawan here, the Prime Minister said by including sports in the syllabi, the government would not only promote the cause of the Olympic movement in India, but also enable the youth to remain fighting fit.

He said he was sure that given the right opportunity, Indian youth would show impressive results.

In his first public reaction to India losing out to South Korea in the bid for hosting the Asian Games 2014, Dr Singh said it was unfortunate that Delhi had missed an opportunity, ''but I am sure there will be other opportunities in the future.'' The experience of hosting the Asian Games in 1982 would help the country in holding such events on a much larger scale, he said and made a mention of the Commonwealth Games to be held here in 2010.

On the brightening chances of India winning more medals in international events, he said as a country of young people, it had great potential in the world of sports and games.

''We are yet to fully harness the talent of our youth in this vast field. Especially in the areas of games that figure at the Olympics. Our performances in hockey and other disciplines of sports and games have to improve substantially to enable our sports persons win more Olympic medals.'' Dr Singh underlined the need for paying much greater attention to athletics and gymnastics, apart from popular games like cricket, football and hockey.

He also urged the Indian Olympic Association to work closely with the Government, at the Centre and in the States, and ''unleash a new wave of sports consciousness and sports development.'' Among those present at the function were International Olympic Association President Jacqus Rogge IOA President Suresh Kalmadi.

The Prime Minister said the Bhavan should ''provide a warm home for the hopes and aspirations of our sportspersons.'' UNI