Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Indian-origin cricketers playing for foreign national teams, underlining what he described as the speciality of ‘Bhartiyata’.
He said Indians remain deeply connected to their matrabhoomi (motherland) while contributing meaningfully to the development of their karmabhoomi (place of duty).
Addressing the 131st episode of his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of sports in everyday life, stating that one who plays, blooms, and emphasised that sports unite people.
Referring to the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, he said viewers often feel a sense of happiness when they notice a player of Indian origin representing another country. He observed that while such players wear the jersey of their adopted nation and represent it wholeheartedly, their names and roots evoke pride among Indians.
Indian Roots in Global Cricket
The Prime Minister noted that the Canadian cricket team has the highest number of Indian-origin players. He mentioned Captain Dilpreet Bajwa from Punjab’s Gurdaspur and Naveneet Dhaliwal from Chandigarh, along with Harsh Thaker and Shreyas Movva, saying they are making both Canada and India proud.
Speaking about the USA cricket team, he said several members have played domestic cricket in India. He highlighted captain Monank Patel, who represented Gujarat’s U-16 and U-18 teams, and also referred to players such as Saurabh from Mumbai, Harmeet Singh, and Milind Kumar from Delhi.
He added that the Oman team features players who have competed across Indian states, including Jatinder Singh, Vinayak Shukla, Karan, Jai and Ashish. He further noted the presence of Indian-origin players in teams from New Zealand, UAE and Italy.
Calling this a reflection of Bhartiyata, the Prime Minister said Indians across the world stay rooted in their heritage while contributing to their adopted nations.
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