In poll-bound Gujarat, PM Modi inaugurates 36th National Games, says 'in last 8 years...'
Union minister for youth affairs and sports Anurag Thakur and other dignitaries will also attend the opening ceremony. Olympians PV Sindhu, Neeraj Chopra and Ravi Kumar Dahiya were also present at the opening ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 36th National Games at a grand opening ceremony at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Gujarat will go to the assembly elections later this year. “This is the world's largest stadium. Such a young country in the world. And the biggest sports festival in the country! When the event is so amazing and unique, his energy will be just as extraordinary,” Modi said at the event.
“The Sardar Patel Sports Complex has facilities for many sports like football, hockey, basketball, kabaddi, boxing and lawn tennis. This is in a way a model for the entire country.,” the PM said, adding that the National Games as a platform “will act as a new launching pad for all you sportspersons”.
Modi also said the victory of the players' strong performance also paves the way for the victory of the country in other fields. The soft power of sports enhances the identity of the nation, the image of the nation manifold.
“Till eight years ago, players from India used to participate in less than a hundred international events. Players from India now participate in more than 300 international events,” Modi said.
Eight years ago, the players of India used to go to play 20-25 games. Now, players from India go to participate in about 40 different sports, he added.
Union minister for youth affairs and sports Anurag Thakur and other dignitaries will also attend the opening ceremony. Olympians PV Sindhu, Neeraj Chopra and Ravi Kumar Dahiya were also present at the opening ceremony.
National Games are being held in the state of Gujarat for the first time. It will be organised from September 29 to October 12. Nearly 15,000 sportspersons, coaches, and officials from across the country will be participating in 36 sports disciplines, making it the biggest National Games ever.
"The 36th National Games has taken over the country right now. The fact that we are doing it after many years and the fact that we are doing it in the midst of Navratri at a location which celebrates Navratri. The entire euphoria is like double right now because we are doing the opening ceremony. We have Navratri in the euphoria plus our Prime Minister has graced the occasion. So, a lot of combination of all of this which is making it a very special, " organiser of the games Chanda Singh.
The sporting events will be organised in six cities of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.
