Chandigarh, Nov 6 (PTI) Chandigarh authorities held a meeting with Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra on Wednesday to explore the integration of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in the city’s education system to promote physical activity, character building and life skills.
The OVEP is a flagship initiative of the International Olympic Committee and the Chandigarh administration’s education and sports departments were part of the talks with the founder of the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, an official statement said.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Education and Sports, Prerna Puri; Director, Education, Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar and Director, Sports, Sorabh Kumar Arora. Other key stakeholders and educators were also part of it.
According to the statement, the conversation centred around empowering Chandigarh’s students with essential skills that transcend the classroom, such as teamwork, respect and fair play, and encouraging a lifelong commitment to physical fitness and sportsmanship.
Discussion was held on the role of the OVEP in establishing a structured framework that combines physical literacy with values-based learning, it added.
This initiative aligns closely with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes holistic education and seeks to nurture well-rounded citizens. The NEP encourages life skills education, critical thinking and ethical and moral values, which the OVEP can support by using sports as a tool for personal and social development, the statement said.
By integrating the OVEP in schools, the Chandigarh administration aims to develop well-rounded citizens who embody the qualities of respect, excellence and friendship, fostering not just physical skills but also critical life skills, it said.
The programme also seeks to train teachers to deliver these values effectively and integrate sports events that provide a real-world application of Olympic principles.
The Abhinav Bindra Foundation is currently delivering the OVEP to millions of school children. With successful implementation, the programme has received praise for its positive impact on students’ attitudes and behaviour, providing them with skills that will serve them in various spheres of life, the statement said.
“We envision a future where every child has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of sports, not only as a pathway to physical fitness but also as a foundation for essential life skills,” India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist Bindra said.
“Through the Olympic Values Education Programme, we aim to create an environment that nurtures respect, resilience, and leadership among young learners. I am inspired by the Chandigarh administration’s commitment to integrating these values in schools and am excited to see the positive change this partnership will bring to the lives of countless children,” he added. PTI SUN IJT
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