Indian Food to be a Part of the Cuisine at the Olympic Village

By siliconindia | Monday, 08 August 2016, 05:01 Hrs

BENGALURU: The Olympic Games fever has caught the attention of all sports fanatics across countries. The games which are held every four years are a symbol of sporting excellence. All sports-persons give their all-in-a-bid to stand on the podium, as a medal won in the Olympics is a matter of pride. This year, the Olympic Games are being held in the city of Rio De Janeirio, Brazil.

With India sending the biggest ever contingent to the Games till date, the Government in an effort led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured that the athletes can enjoy national cuisine at the Games. This is the first time that such an endeavor has taken place. On earlier occasions, the organizing committee of the Olympic Games would turn down the request on the grounds that the contingent was small and the food would be wasted. With the proposal being accepted, the athletes representing the country can enjoy a wide range of Indian dishes.

On the menu, there would be — dal makhani, vegetable pulao, paneer masala, sambhar, tandoori chicken, egg bhurji, tandoori roti, and raita. Sweets such as Soan papdi and gulab jamun would also be provided to the athletes. The cuisine can also be enjoyed by sportspersons of other Southeast Asian countries who are willing to eat Indian food.

Sports Secretary, Rajiv Yadav states, "All of this has been carefully put together to make the players feel at home. It has been scientifically proved that the food one eats at home can make you mentally and physically fit.”

The Government has invested heavily on the sportspersons as part of a programme named ‘Target Olympic Podium’ that was initiated in January 2015. It has spent atleast 10 Crores on every sport in a bid to help athletes make the country proud at the Olympics.