India will wholeheartedly back its athletes at Tokyo Olympics: President

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said India will wholeheartedly back its athletes when they represent the country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9. In his traditional address to the nation on the eve of the 71st Republic Day, the President mentioned the forthcoming Olympic games and said a new generation of players and athletes has brought laurels for the nation in more and more varieties of sports in recent years.

"This is also the year of the Tokyo Olympics. While India has traditionally done well in a number of sports, the new generation of players and athletes has brought laurels for the nation in more and more varieties of sports in recent years. "At Olympics 2020, the Indian contingent will be backed by cheers and good wishes of millions of Indians," the President said in his speech.

Indian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympics since 1920, although they made their official debut at the 1900 Games in Paris. With six months left for the quadrennial extravaganza, the Indian Olympic Association (IAO) is expecting to send at least 120-125 athletes to the Japanese capital.