Panaji, Nov 9 (IANS): Vice President (VP) Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said that sports has become the most important avenue of expression of human genius.

"Gone are the days of parental worry about child’s extensive involvement in sports. Sports have become the most important avenue of expression of human genius,” the Vice President said during the closing ceremony of the 37th edition of National Games.

Emphasising that the pivotal role of coaches in a sportspersons' journey and referring to them as ‘Dhronacharyas’, the Vice-President highlighted the government's proactive steps to ensure that our athletes receive coaching of the best quality.

He said that the country achieved the status of the fifth-largest global economy in 2022 and expressed hope that India is on track to become the third-largest global economy by 2030.

Vice President appealed to the Industry and Private Sector to lend support to sportspersons, stating that their backing would ‘do the nation a great justice’.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the state has created human resources through organising national games.

“Our sports persons will get a boost and they will further participate at international level. The infrastructure created for national games will be used by the sports persons,” he said.

He said that the sports reservation quota for government jobs will now be extended in all departments. “Earlier they were getting jobs only in police and fire services, but now 4 per cent reservations will be in all departments for sports persons,” he said.

He reiterated that sports university will be a reality in Goa, which will help sports persons in many ways.

Sawant said that his government will welcome any proposal to set up Private Sports University in the state.