Panchkula, May 10 (IANS): World record holder and Paralympics gold medallist Sumit Antil on Tuesday said that he is glad an initiative was started to educate the school children on a balanced and nutritious diet across India.

Sumit, who had broken the world record multiple times (in the men's javelin throw F64 category) visited the local Panchkula school to talk about the importance of having a balanced diet.

"I am really thankful to PM Modi that he started such an initiative as the format will create a domino effect in the country and help in spreading the message of a balanced and nutritious diet across India," he said.

Antil, who was born in Haryana's Sonipat district, then went to talk about local food that is available across the state and how rich it is in all forms of vitamins, proteins, fiber, and carbohydrates that are required for one's body.

He also had an interactive quiz session with the students where they got to ask him questions about sports, fitness and food habits, and how one can become an athlete.

'Meet the Champions' initiative is part of the government's 'Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' that was kicked off by Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra in December 2021 and was taken ahead by Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia in Haryana in January 2022.

In the last six months, the unique interactive session has already reached hundreds of schools in various parts of the country, including Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Srinagar, Jammu, Bihar, and Gujarat.

The unique school visit campaign is jointly being organised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, where the Olympians and Paralympians share their own experiences, life lessons, tips on how to eat right and also give an overall inspirational boost to school children.