Goa | March 12, 2022
Olympian Maana Patel today visited Dr K.B.Hedgewar High School at Cujira, Goa, where she interacted with the students of 75 schools across the state. Maana Patel kicked off Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s school visit campaign to create awareness among students about the importance of balanced diet and fitness. Through the ‘Meet the Champions’ initiative, Tokyo 2020 Olympians are visiting schools across the country.
Explaining the importance of a balanced diet, she said, “Body is a temple and mind is fortress, treat your body like a temple, make sure of what you eat because in the end you are what you eat”. Balanced diet is the balance of all nutrients. Athletes and school going kids need three meals a day, added Manna Patel. She advised the students, whatever field they pursue, they need to put their heart and soul into it.
300 students from 75 schools across Goa participated in the ‘Meet the Champions’ initiative today.
Manna Patel is the first Indian female swimmer to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in the women’s 100m backstroke event. The likes of Neeraj Chopra, Bajrang Punia have already taken part in the event in Gujarat and Haryana respectively, while Paralympics medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu has also been one of the attendees of the event in Tamil Nadu and Paralympics Silver Medallist Yogesh Kathuniya visited the schools in Bihar. Meet the Champions’ initiative is a part of the government’s ‘Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ that was kicked off by Olympic Gold medallist Neeraj Chopra in December 2021.
The unique school visit campaign is jointly being organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Education. The initiative started after India’s huge success at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, when Prime Minister Modi, during his interaction with the athletes, had requested them to visit 75 schools and speak of the importance of balanced diet and Fitness.
***
S.Thakur/P.Kor
Follow us on social media: 
@PIBMumbai 
/PIBMumbai 
/pibmumbai 
pibmumbai@gmail.com