We are going to make India House for 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Kiren Rijiju

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced that India House will be set up in Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Olympics to provide hygienic food to Indian athletes who are going to participate in the Games.

"In international events, our athletes must be given food which they are provided as per their choice in our country. We must make it available wherever they go. For Tokyo 2020 also, we are going to make 'India House' (in the Games Village) to ensure we address their food-related needs along with providing technical support to the athletes as well as the officials.

"That is why I am taking the first-hand experience by visiting these iconic sports establishments in the country.

"Diet forms the integral part of a player's performance. During my visit to the National Sports Institute, Patiala, I observed that the junior athletes were given a certain range of food, while the seniors were provided different category. The budgetary allocation of the food was done on the basis of the age groups. I have learnt that all the players require different kind of food. We have decided to allocate the diet budget according to the athlete's requirement, as well as according to the diet prescribed by the nutritionists or dieticians (and not by the age)," Rijiju said.

"I have tried to pick up some of those institutes and centres where we have the best potential and can get immediate results from. These are those low-lying fruits which we need to pick up. The ASI is well known and has given us results also. I am impressed with the way the army have managed and given all kind of support to produce world-class athletes. We will see what we can do with the ministry and the army, to improve the centre further," Kiren Rijiju said.

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