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Xtra Time Web Desk: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday renamed the stadium at Army Sports Institute in Pune after Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra. He also felicitated all the other Defence Forces Olympians who represented the country at Tokyo. The Defence Minister urged them to make India a "sports power". The function was also attended by Army chief General MM Naravane.

 “You are not just players but leaders of the Indian youth. It is the responsibility of leaders to give the right direction to the followers," Rajnath Singh said at the felicitation ceremony.

"Make a resolve, today we all have to make a resolve to make India sports power in the days to come,” he said after felicitating the ''Defence Forces'' Olympians'' who took part in the Tokyo Games.

“After looking at all these players, I am assured that this resolve will be fulfilled. Our prime minister has shown immense interest in sports, which is unprecedented. I have been in politics for a long time, but the interest shown by the current prime minister in sports is beyond imagination. He boosted the morale of players by interacting and eating with them,” Singh added.

“I am waiting for that moment when India will get the opportunity to host the Olympics,” the Union minister said.

A shawl signed by the Olympians from the forces was also presented to the Defence Minister.

Besides Neeraj Chopra, Tarundeep Rai (archery), Pravin Jadhav (archery), Amit (boxing), Manish Kaushik (boxing), Satish Kumar (boxing), CA Kuttappa (boxing coach), Chotelal Yadav (Mary Kom’s coach), Deepak Punia (wrestling), Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh (rowing), Vishnu Saravanan (sailing) were among those who were felicitated.

Deepak Kumar (shooting), Avinash Sable (athletics), Amrish Kumar (athletics coach), Irfan KT (athletics), Rahul (athletics), Sandeep Kumar (athletics), Gurpreet Singh (athletics), Tajinder Pal Singh Toor (athletics), MP Jabir (athletics), Shivpal Singh (athletics), Alex Antony (athletics), Abhishek Pandey (physiotherapist with athletics team) and members of the 4x400 relay team who are employed with the Forces were also feted on the occasion.