Mega sporting event for rural boys and girls

“A pool of talent comprising some 600 boys and girls from rural areas will be selected in the proposed state-level event in which competitions for 10 different sporting events will be organised,” director, youth welfare, Prashant Arya says.

DEHRADUN: In a bid to facilitate the entry of budding sporting talents from Uttarakhand’s rural areas into national and international sporting events, the state government will soon organise a mega sporting event in Dehradun from January 3.

The rural youth participating in the event were selected from the sporting events organised at the Nyay Panchayat, block and district levels. (HT)

Scores of “duly selected” youths from rural areas falling in 670 Nyay Panchayats will participate in the 20-day ‘Khel Mahakumbh.’ “A pool of talent comprising some 600 boys and girls from rural areas will be selected in the proposed state level event in which competitions for 10 different sporting events will be organised,” director, youth welfare, Prashant Arya told HT.

“The whole idea behind organising this first of its kind event in the state is to facilitate the entry of the rural youth in the national and international events,” he said, adding the event will be organised for the mini, youth, junior and senior categories of boys and girls.

The rural youth participating in the event were selected from the sporting events organised at the Nyay Panchayat, block and district levels. “All these events were organised under the aegis of the youth welfare department, for which a fund of Rs 8.71 crore was released by the government.”

“Boys and girls selected in the final event (Khel Mahakumbh) will participate in different national events that will be organised by schools and various sports associations,” Arya said. “So, in a way, it will also pave the way for the sporting talents from rural areas to participate even in international sporting events.”

The official lists yet another advantage of the government’s move to create a pool of talented sports persons. “Once we have a pool ready, schools and sports associations won’t have to train the rural youth for the national- level sporting events.”

According to the official, 600 sports persons who would be finally selected would have yet another advantage. “The government will arrange funds for organising training camps for those (600) sportspersons before they will participate in any national sporting event.”