Former athlete Anju Bobby George on Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming sports in the country. “As an athlete, I have been here for 25 years. What I see then and now – a lot of changes,” she said while speaking at a Christmas event at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence.

George mentioned how the sport has changed over the course of her long sporting career. She recalled the lukewarm reaction of her time and how the country and its leadership celebrated the achievements of today's athletes.

“When I won India’s first global medal 20 years ago, even my department was not ready for promotion. But after Neeraj (Chopra) got a medal, I see the changes. The way we celebrate. The way you celebrate, and.” “The way India celebrated – I envy them. I was in the wrong time,” she said.

George, who won the bronze medal in the long jump at the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris, admitted that through Khelo India and Fit India, sports were being talked about and Indian athletes were doing great on the international stage. She praised Prime Minister Modi's leadership for change.

The former top athlete also discussed how women's empowerment is becoming a reality. “Every Indian girl is ready to dream and they know that their dreams will come true one day,” she said, while expressing her happiness over India's proposal to host the 2036 Olympics.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister interacted with the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas. George was among the celebrities who attended the event. She praised the Prime Minister's zeal for promoting sport and said: “I think in the near future we will be at the forefront.”

At the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, George won a gold medal. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, she achieved her personal best of 6.83 m, placing fifth. She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002, the Khel Ratna in 2003 and the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2004.