Will look to carry forward things from past: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju

India's newly-appointed Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju Friday said he will carry forward the programmes of his predecessor Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, saying continuity and teamwork are the main ingredients of success. "There is something called continuity. Things from the past should be carried forward and new things should be added if it is good," Rijiju replied when asked about whether he would continue Rathore's programmes.

"The Khelo India programme which the Prime Minister started we will take forward. We will continue to promote traditional sports alongside modern sports." "We (ministers and bureaucrats) will have to work as a team as teamwork is the essence of success," he added.

Rijiju, who replaced Rathore, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him an opportunity to work for the youth of the nation. "I would like to thank Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for giving me this fantastic opportunity to work for the youth of this country," said Rijiju after taking charge of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

"It is an important ministry which can galvanize the youth of this nation. Youth is the power of this country." Rijiju, who served as a state minister in the Ministry of Home Affairs in the previous Modi government, has been given independent charge of the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry besides the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Rijiju, however, refused to go into details about his new assignment, stating he needs some time to understand the affairs. "I cannot comment on any specifics right now because I am yet to be briefed by the officers.

"But our focus will be on all sporting events from indigenous sporting events to National Games, Asian Games and the Olympics," he said. "Olympics obviously will be our main target because it is the pinnacle of all sporting events."

The new minister also wished the Indian cricket team for the ICC World Cup.