Headlines
Two-week-long 35th National Games begin in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 31
Finally the 35th
National Games got underway here Saturday evening at the brand new
state-of-the-art Greenfield Stadium with more than 40,000 spectators
cheering every moment.
When the clock struck 6 p.m., the chenda
melam (percussion) event led by Padma Shri Mattanur Sankarankutty
started the programme when more than 100 chenda melam artistes made
merry striking their chenda to unison.
It was followed by the
impressive march past by all the participating teams with an estimated
5,000 athletes taking part. Taking the salute was chief guest M.
Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development. Welcoming the
gathering, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said what's been seen here is
the victory of sports.
"We are not stopping with this. Instead my
government will soon come out with a special sports package for the
overall development of sports and games," said Chandy.
Sports
Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that it's now time that both private
and public sectors come forward to offer jobs to budding sportspersons
in our country.
"The opening ceremony has been superlative and now I call upon you sports personalities to go and perform," said Sonowal.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president N. Ramachandran thanked the Kerala government for organising the event.
Inaugurating
the event, union minister Naidu pointed out that the education
curriculum has to be revamped and sports education has to be and will be
included in the curriculum.
"This marvellous stadium is going to
be the pride of Kerala and I fully appreciate the hardworking chief
minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy. Even though we may belong to different
political parties, we will all work together for the country," said
Naidu.
The event is going to be held at 30 venues in seven
districts of the state and up for grabs are a record 1,369 medals. The
sporting events will start Sunday and the closing ceremony would be held
in this stadium Feb 14. Incidentally this is the second time that
Kerala is playing host, with 1987 being the first time.
But
compared to a rather small event in 1987, in sheer size this is indeed
the biggest ever sporting event that has ever taken place in the state
as over 10,000 athletes including officials will take part, besides a
2,500-strong media contingent.
The swanky brand new stadium, built from scratch in les