Indian athletes attend Japanese cultural sensitivity workshop

Indian Tokyo-bound Olympians and Paralympians on Thursday attended Omotenashi, a Japanese cultural sensitivity workshop.

The main aim of the workshop was to intimate sportspersons with the intricacies of the Japanese culture. The workshop included lessons on how to travel on a train in Tokyo, wear the kimono, use chopsticks for proper dining, bowing etiquettes and so on.

The workshop was organized by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in association with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the workshop.

Rijiju said that as Indian athletes will represent the country in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics so it is important to learn the cultural sensitivity of Japan.

Japanese culture and etiquette are very elaborate. You (athletes) are representing India as its ambassador. So, this cultural sensitivity activity is very important for you. We along with the IOA and SAI will provide the best support to the athletes. The philosophy of India has taken full shape in Japan. And we want to transcend our deep spiritual connection to the arena of sports as well," Rijiju said in a statement.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary-General Rajiv Mehta and a Japanese delegation comprising Prof. Hisashi Sanada, Chairman, Tsukaba International Academy for Sports Studies and Mrs. Izumi Egami, a lecturer and a former air-hostess were also present at the inauguration.

Manu Bhaker, Sanjeev Rajput, Deepak Kumar, Abhishek Verma, Yashaswini Singh Deswal, Bajrang Punia, Deepak Punia, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Divya Kakran, Sandeep Chaudhary and Yogesh Kathuniya also graced the occasion.

"with the help of this workshop, the athletes would be better prepared when they enter the Tokyo Games village. We now know that they value their cultural etiquette at a much higher level and it's beautiful to see that," Abhishek Verma said.