Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Saturday called on the youth of the country to remain focused to achieve their goals.
Col. Rathore, an Olympic medalist who won 9 gold medals across various global and Asian shooting events during his illustrious sporting career, said we all must fail sometimes to make our goals achievable.
Speaking at the youth summit, NDTV Yuva 2026, here, Col Rathore further said this is the right time to get the youth to be part of governance.
“When we were young, our level of awareness was quite low. The youth of today have a very high level of awareness. They know about the world, about the nation. Which way the nation goes depends a lot on the youth,” said Rathore, who is currently the Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs in the Government of Rajasthan.
“We all must fail. You can make anything achievable, you can reach your goals. You just have to remain focused,” he told the audience, which comprised a number of university students.
Col. Rathore recalled that when he was young, he faced a lot of humiliation.
“But I used the humiliation as fuel. The day I got tired, that was the day I learned the most. Someone wise gave me a beautiful piece of advice: situations will keep changing in life. Your decisions in those situations will shape your life. I printed those words on an A4 sheet and pasted it all over my house,” he stated.
“It reminded me at every stage: no one is going to come and help. Only I am in control of my future and only I can shape it,” the Olympic medallist added.
Col. Rathore also touched upon the topic of artificial intelligence taking away jobs. The Rajasthan minister said it's a misconception that AI will take away jobs.
“AI is there to support you. Use it, ride the horse. I'm sure AI is not taking away any jobs. Courage, emotion, sensitivity, collaboration – AI cannot do that. These are what bring success,” he added.
Speaking about the time when he was posted in Jammu and Kashmir in the early 1990s, Col Rathore recalled a conversation with his mother and said, “During a phone call, my mother asked me, 'does Kashmir look beautiful? Is it worth fighting for?' And I said, yes.”
Asked to comment on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha joining the BJP, Col. Rathore, himself a BJP leader, said: “Everybody is welcome. If the one who is lost in the morning returns home in the evening, then he is not called lost.”
Col Rathore also commented on Rahul Gandhi and said no one denies the Congress leader is not a youth. “But youth must have a direction.”
Col Rathore further appreciated Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot, stating he talks with respect and measures his words before speaking.