Modi Praises Young Athletes as Sooryavanshi Clip Spreads

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised young Indian athletes at a New Delhi ceremony honoring medalists from the 2026 Asian Games, while footage of teenage cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smiling during the speech circulated widely online. The video drew attention, but the available accounts do not establish what immediately prompted his expression. The ceremony took place on October 15. Modi spoke about athletes aged 15 to 17 who had performed at the Games, saying their achievements showed that age was not a barrier to success in sport. Sooryavanshi, 15, was among the medalists attending after India’s men’s cricket team won gold. Video from the event shows Sooryavanshi smiling as Modi discussed the young competitors. Some accounts characterized the remarks as praise directed at the cricketer, while others noted that Modi addressed young athletes collectively and did not call Sooryavanshi out by name. One account said teammate Arshdeep Singh poked him from behind; that explanation is not independently established by the supplied footage descriptions. The moment was shared online and became a subject of discussion. Modi also spoke about identifying and training sporting talent...