A historic and remarkable event took place today at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. It is perhaps the first time that a book on a single subject has been launched simultaneously in 21 languages, at one place and at the same time.

The programme was organised under the aegis of Sports: A Way of Life and was chaired by Kalraj Mishra, former Governor of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. On the occasion, renowned hockey player, Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Ashok Dhyanchand, along with Dr. Milind Pandey (vice president of the organisation) and several Hon’ble Members of Parliament from different parts of India, were present. Together, they jointly launched the Sports Alphabet Booklets, prepared in 21 languages.

The concept has been developed by Dr. Kanishka Pandey, president of the organisation and a noted sports researcher. The initiative is the outcome of over a decade of sustained research and experimentation aimed at developing a sports culture in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Pandey stated that just as alphabet learning is the first step in generating a child’s interest in education, sports alphabets can similarly become the first step in developing an interest in sports among children. These booklets offer a dual benefit: while children learn letters and reading, they simultaneously develop a connection with sports.

Objectives of the Sports Alphabet Initiative

• To increase sports literacy.
• To develop sports and education as complementary, rather than competing, domains.
• To inculcate core sporting values such as discipline, leadership and decision-making (16 key sports values) at the kindergarten level.
• To reduce children’s excessive dependence on mobile phones, computers and online gaming, and encourage outdoor physical activity.

Dr. Pandey further emphasised that in India, sports and education have traditionally been treated as separate, and even competing, domains. In reality, however, they complement each other.

He highlighted that in developed countries, leading universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Stanford excel not only academically but also in sports, with their students winning Olympic medals for their countries.

He added that while India is focusing on creating separate sports universities, there is also a need to empower existing higher educational institutions to become centres of sporting excellence. The aim of these booklets is to create a combined nursery of education and sports at the kindergarten level.

Multilingual and International Dimension

The Sports Alphabet Booklets have been prepared in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Marathi, Bangla, Khasi, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, Rajasthani, Kumaoni, Garhwali, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Odia, Malayalam and Gujarati, along with two foreign languages: Arabic and Nepali.

To launch the Nepali version, Member of Parliament from Nepal, Abhishek Pratap Shah, was present at the event. He appreciated the initiative and stated that he would recommend its implementation in primary schools in Nepal.

Mishra congratulated Dr. Pandey and said that this sports alphabet initiative in every Indian language is a living example of India’s cultural diversity and unity.

Dhyanchand noted that he has been associated with Sports: A Way of Life for a long time, and that such scientific and structured efforts towards building a sports culture are being witnessed for the first time.

Several Hon’ble Members of Parliament, including Sulata Deo from Odisha, Golla Baburao from Andhra Pradesh, Seema Dwivedi from Uttar Pradesh and Anurag Sharma from Bundelkhand (Jhansi), among others, also participated physically and virtually, enhancing the dignity of the event and describing the Sports Alphabet Booklets as a unique initiative for youth development and holistic growth.

Published on Apr 01, 2026