LUCKNOW, May 10 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday urged players to never let their dreams falter, just as a badminton player never lets the shuttlecock fall. He made the remark as he inaugurated the Second All India Police Badminton Cluster Tournament (Badminton-Table Tennis) 2025-26 at Babu Banarasi Das UP Badminton Academy, Gomti Nagar here. Around 1,400 players from across the country are participating in the five-day tournament, being held in UP for the first time. "Talent gives you the start, but hard work takes you to the goal. The more sweat you shed, the bigger the victory," the chief minister said. He added that skills learned through sport - concentration, quick decision-making and discipline - prepare individuals for crisis management and adverse situations that no textbook can teach. Invoking mythological references, the chief minister described Arjun as a symbol of concentration, discipline and dedication, and Balram as a symbol of strength and balance - qualities he said the state's sports policy draws inspiration from. Highlighting the transformation under his government, the CM said that before 2017, UP's stadiums lacked basic facilities, tracks were broken, swimming pools were dry, and talented players were forced to wander from office to office. "Talent used to die on waiting lists," he said. He listed key initiatives since 2017 - 2% horizontal reservation in government jobs for sportspersons, direct recruitment of 534 national and international players to UP Police and various government departments, and 546 more appointments under the sports quota currently in process. Since 2021, 334 players have been promoted to the ranks of inspector, sub-inspector and head constable. Olympic hockey medallists Lalit Upadhyay and Rajkumar Pal, and Asian Games 5000-metre champion Parul Chaudhary, were given the rank of deputy SP. Asian Championship 2024-25 gold medallists constables Priyanshi Prajapati and Pushpa were directly promoted to Inspector. "These names are evidence of trust. Today an unbreakable bond has been forged between khaki and sport," the chief minister said. The chief minister said every gram panchayat now has a playground, every block a mini stadium, and every district a stadium. He expressed confidence that the tournament would inspire UP's youth and strengthen the state's sporting culture. DGP Rajeev Krishna welcomed the guests. Additional chief secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, UP Badminton Association president Navneet Sehgal, and senior police and sports officials were present. The 35th PAC Battalion band performed, a short film on UP's sporting achievements was screened, and the CM also played a brief game of badminton....