IOC Member Nita Ambani Bats for 'Olympics Of All, By All, For All' at Opening Ceremony of 141st IOC Session in Mumbai

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Nita Ambani on Saturday called for “Olympics of all, Olympic by all, and Olympics for all” at the opening ceremony of the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai.

Delivering the opening address at the historic event at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, Nita Ambani shed light on India’s “limitless potential”, particularly in the arena of sports.

“India’s potential is limitless. In the years to come, young Indians will excel globally in every field of human endeavour, including sport. This is the collective dream of 1.4 billion Indian hearts. It is also the collective determination of 1.4 billion Indian minds… Today, we pledge to nurture and empower our 250 million school-going children through the Olympic values of friendship, excellence, and respect… not just in Indian cities but also in the small towns and remotest villages of India.”

Terming the IOC Session in Mumbai a “a defining moment in the history of sport in India”, Nita Ambani said: “Today, let us recommit ourselves to the guiding principles of the Olympic Movement. And work towards Olympics of all, Olympics by all, and Olympics for all.”

The IOC session is being held in the country after a gap of 40 years. The last Olympic Session was held in India in 1983 in New Delhi. Mumbai had won the bid to host the IOC Session when the Indian delegation led by Nita Ambani, the first Indian woman to be elected as an IOC member, made a compelling pitch at the 139th IOC session in Beijing in February 2022.

Lauding the work done by the Narendra Modi government in development of sports and athletes, Nita Ambani in her speech said under the Prime Minister, India has also become a sporting power.

“Respected Prime Minister, we are filled with immense joy and gratitude that you have joined us today. You are the leader of the world’s largest democracy, the Architect of New India. Your support to sport has made this session in India a reality,” Mrs Ambani said.

Nita Ambani also spoke about how the session was a great confluence between India and the world, saying: “In this meeting of the IOC, I see the confluence of two wonderful forces. One is the Olympic Movement, which unites humanity and transcends all national, racial, religious, and linguistic barriers. The other is India, the world’s largest democracy as the host of this meeting.”

“…Today, more than ever our world needs to reunite in fraternity and solidarity. This cannot happen on battlefields, it can only happen on sports fields…,” she added.

“The mantra and motto of our 5,000-year-old civilisation is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakkam, which our Prime Minister declared as the theme at India’s Presidency of the G20 Summit last month. It means — The Entire World Is One Family… Today, more than ever, our world needs to reunite in fraternity and solidarity,” she said.