Virat Kohli- the captain of Indian cricket team dreams and fulfills like none else. Not only does he lead from the front when it comes to cricket, but with 'Virat Kohli Foundation', he has enabled children from neglected communities to grow up, play and develop in a safe nation.
The Foundation which was set up in 2013 took a decisive step in November 2017 by launching the Athlete Development Programme (ADP) and inducted budding world-class athletes of India to support them in terms of their requirements specific to coaching, training, competition, fitness and nutrition.
On Thursday, Kohli interacted with the athletes and shared a picture on Twitter saying that the future of Indian sport is truly bright. One of them posing with Kohli was Odisha's ace shuttler Rutuparna Panda.
"It was a special day interacting with the #ViratKohliFoundation athletes. With discipline, determination and dedication we can scale great heights in becoming a sporting nation. The future of Indian sport is truly bright. See you soon. #JaiHind," Kohli tweeted.
It is my dream to do whatever I can to help my country become a sporting superpower. There is tremendous talent in our nation and it is important to create an environment that will motivate children to grow, not only as sportspersons but also as professionals and human beings. The youth, which is the future of the nation, deserves to be given opportunities to become winners in any field.
-- Virat Kohli, Founder & Chairperson, Virat Kohli Foundation.
Rutuparna Panda, the first Odia woman to have represented India at the Asian Games, has many national and international titles in her bag.
Panda recently bagged a double crown at the JE Wilson International Series in Ghana in July.
This June, she had partnered with Gayatri Gopichand to win the women's doubles title at the All India senior tournament. Even in 2018, Panda had won the women's doubles title partnering Arathi Sara Sunil at the All India Senior Ranking Badminton tournament in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
In October last year, Panda along with Arathi Sara Sunil won the Hellas Open International Series in Greece.