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Haryana is sports capital of India: Shah at Khelo India Games opening ceremony
All roads led to the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula on Saturday evening with the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games finally getting underway and a gala opening ceremony with thousands in attendance made it more resounding
All roads led to the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula on Saturday evening with the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games finally getting underway and a gala opening ceremony with thousands in attendance made it more resounding.
After multiple postponements, the 10-day Khelo India Youth Games in Haryana, with Panchkula being the epicentre, will be hosting over 4,500 athletes across India providing a platform to showcase their talent.
The opening ceremony turned out to be a political star-studded show with Union home minister Amit Shah, Union sports minister Anurag Thakur and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar being present during the opening ceremony.
Dance and patriotic songs were part of the energetic show, keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats. The stadium in Panchkula will be the hub of action, with many of the 25 disciplines being held at the newly-constructed multi-purpose halls.
Among the popular games being held in Panchkula will be athletics, football, badminton, table tennis, kabaddi, handball, wrestling, volleyball, boxing and the five indigenous games.
The host, Haryana had won the first Khelo India Youth Games in 2018 and were runners-up in the last edition with Maharashtra being the champions.
Expressing her excitement for the event, 15-year-old shuttler from Haryana (Rohtak) Unnati Hooda, who was part of the Indian badminton team for Uber Cup, said, “I have played many matches here in district-level. It is a feeling of pride that Haryana is hosting the event. I hope to do well and leave a mark.”
Khattar expressed the desire that players of Haryana should bring the state on the first position just as they have kept the state in the forefront by winning maximum number of medals in the Olympics and other international competitions.
Shah termed Haryana the sports capital of India. “We cannot rule out the contribution of Haryana athletes in giving India international acclaim. The government has done a great job of providing such a tremendous platform to the budding sportspersons,” he said.
“Athletes should make most of the chances and reach for the top. I am hoping that the Khelo India Youth Games should be making Olympic medallists in the next decade,” he added.
The Haryana government claims to have spent ₹139 crore in building and sprucing up the sports infrastructure for the Khelo India Games in Haryana. A close to 7,000 spectators witnessed the Khelo India Youth Games opening ceremony.
The Games mascots, Vijaya - the tiger and Jaya - the blackbuck, and the Haryana mascot, Dhakad - the bull were also seen during the event.
