Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 38th National Games in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on Tuesday.Addressing the gathering, he remarked that Uttarakhand is resplendent today with the energy of the youth. He added that the 38th National Games were commencing today with the blessings of Baba Kedarnath, Badrinath and Maa Ganga, according to a press release by the Prime Minister's Office.
Highlighting that it was the 25th year of the formation of Uttarakhand, Modi remarked that the youth from across the nation would be displaying their potential in this young state.
He added that the event displayed a beautiful picture of 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat'. He further remarked that many local games were included in this edition of the National Games and the theme was 'Green Games', as there was usage of environment-friendly items. Elaborating further on the theme, the Prime Minister highlighted that even the trophies and medals were made of e-waste and a tree would be planted in the name of every medal winner, which was a great initiative. He extended his best wishes to all the athletes for a great performance. He also congratulated the Government and people of Uttarakhand for organising such a grand event.
The Prime Minister remarked that just as gold becomes pure through fire, athletes are given more opportunities to refine their abilities. He added that now many tournaments were organized over the year and several new tournaments were included in the Khelo India Series.
PM Modi emphasised that the Khelo India Youth Games has provided opportunities for many young players to advance while the University Games offer many opportunities to University students. He remarked that the Khelo India Para Games helped the Para athletes in improving their performance and creating new achievements. The Prime Minister recalled that recently the 5th edition of the Khelo India Winter Games was underway in Ladakh and mentioned that last year, the Beach Games were organized.
PM Modi remarked that the efforts to promote sports are not solely driven by the Government, but many Members of Parliament were organizing sports competitions in their constituencies to bring forward new talent. The Prime Minister, who is also the MP of Kashi, mentioned that in his parliamentary constituency alone, around 2.5 lakh youth get the opportunity to participate in sports competitions every year. He emphasized that a beautiful bouquet of sports has been created in the country, with flowers blooming every season and tournaments being held continuously.
"Sports is considered a key medium for India's holistic development", said the Prime Minister who emphasised that when a country excels in sports, its reputation and profile also rise.
(ANI)