Former India captain Virat Kohli met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in London on Friday, with the two discussing sports infrastructure, athlete development and the state’s overall progress, according to a statement from Shinde’s office.
Shinde welcomed Kohli during the meeting with a traditional shawl and bouquet. Kohli, in turn, congratulated the deputy chief minister on receiving three prestigious awards during his visit to the United Kingdom.
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The conversation focused on policy measures aimed at strengthening sports facilities across Maharashtra and creating better opportunities for athletes who have the potential to make an impact at the national and international levels.
During the meeting, Shinde highlighted several major infrastructure projects that he said are contributing to Maharashtra’s growth. These included the Samruddhi Expressway, Navi Mumbai International Airport, Coastal Road, Atal Setu and Vadhavan Port.
Shinde also spoke about plans for a Sports City near Navi Mumbai. The proposed facility is expected to provide modern infrastructure for athletes across multiple sporting disciplines and could become an important centre for sports development in the state.
Kohli expressed keen interest in initiatives that would allow young people to combine quality education with high-level sports training. The discussion also touched upon the role of national programmes in encouraging greater participation in sport.
Shinde referred to ‘Khelo India’, a programme led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said such initiatives are encouraging millions of young people to consider sports as a career.
Kohli also spoke about his own journey in cricket during the interaction. He said cricket remains his absolute passion and indicated that he wants to continue being involved in the sport after his eventual retirement.
The former India captain expressed a desire to contribute to the development of younger athletes, particularly by helping them understand the importance of fitness, nutrition and maintaining a proper diet.
The meeting comes as Kohli’s post-playing career interests increasingly include areas beyond his own performances on the cricket field. His comments during the interaction pointed towards a possible continued association with the sport through the development and mentoring of younger players.
For Maharashtra, the discussion centred on the wider objective of creating stronger sporting infrastructure and giving young athletes better access to facilities and training.
The interaction was also attended by Yuva Sena General Secretary Rahul Kanal and senior associates of the deputy chief minister.
The meeting between Kohli and Shinde combined discussions around Maharashtra’s infrastructure ambitions with the development of sporting talent, with both sides showing interest in creating greater opportunities for young people to pursue sport at a high level.
