New Delhi/Nagpur Feb 21 (.) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta addressed the inaugural session of the 15th Indian Student Parliament (Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad) in Pune on Saturday, asserting that India’s march towards becoming a developed nation can accelerate when leaders “stop playing for themselves and start playing for the national team.”
Delivering the inaugural address on the theme “From Stadium to Statesmanship: What Can Politics Learn from Sports?”, Gupta said that politics, like sports, must ultimately serve the people.
“In sports, victory belongs to the team; in politics, the true victory must belong to the people,” he said, underlining that public life demands the same discipline and selfless dedication that athletes demonstrate while representing the nation.
Drawing parallels between sportsmanship and democratic values, the Speaker said the spirit of sports offers three essential pillars to modern politics: discipline, teamwork and respect for rules.
He described the Constitution as the ultimate rulebook in a democracy and urged young leaders to treat political rivals as competitors rather than enemies. Accepting defeat with grace and respecting the winner, he noted, are hallmarks of a mature and progressive society.
Gupta said the vision of Viksit Bharat requires a political culture rooted in meritocracy.
“A developed India demands that merit be the only yardstick and that manipulation be replaced by dedication,” he said.
Emphasising youthful innovation, he called upon students to bring the honesty and focus of the sports field into governance and public service.
Highlighting national unity, the Speaker said India’s global leadership ambitions can only be realised when barriers of caste, religion and region are transcended in favour of a shared national purpose.
He added that collective effort, akin to a united team striving for a championship, would position India strongly on the global stage.
Referring to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gupta said the Viksit Bharat initiative represents a nationwide movement powered by youth and technology.
He noted that governance reforms and digital innovation are enhancing transparency and ensuring that benefits reach the last person in the queue, comparing it to the use of analytics in modern sports to improve performance.
Concluding his address, Gupta urged students to view setbacks as opportunities for growth.
He commended the Indian Student Parliament for nurturing leadership, character and integrity among youth, and reiterated that when leaders prioritise national interest over personal ambition, India’s journey towards becoming a global champion becomes unstoppable.
. PKJ AKU