New Delhi/Chandigarh: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced Haryana as the host state for the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games on Saturday, which is currently scheduled to take place after Tokyo Olympics.
The Games will be held in Panchkula in Haryana. The announcement was made via video conferencing in the presence of Sports Minister of Haryana Sandeep Singh, Secretary Sports Ravi Mital and Director General of Sports Authority of India Sandip Pradhan.
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “I am very happy to announce Haryana as the host state for the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. Khelo India Games, envisioned by our Prime Minister, has been instrumental in identifying grassroot level talent from across the country, who have represented India in international sporting events. It is the Mahakumbh of sport. Haryana already has a very strong sporting culture and has given the country some of its best athletes. I am sure that with the Games being hosted in the state, more and more aspiring athletes from Haryana will be motivated to take up competitive sport.”
Sports Minister Rijiju said, “Usually the Khelo India Youth Games take place in January of every year. However, this time owing to the pandemic, we are having to postpone it. However, I am sure by the time we host the Games the pandemic will abate and we will be able to host the Games at the same scale, with participation of all states and over 10,000 participants.”
Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar said, “As a state Haryana has always promoted sports in a big way and supported its athletes. Hosting the Khelo India Youth Games in Haryana will only add greater impetus to our commitment towards creating a strong sporting ecosystem.”
CM Khattar said, “Haryana has done very well in the last few editions of the Khelo India Youth Games and many of our athletes are already training under the Khelo India Scheme. I am confident that the upcoming edition of the Games will be grand, and I welcome all of you to Khelo India Youth Games, Haryana. Panchkula is equipped with the best sporting infrastructure to host a multi-sport event like Khelo India Youth Games and there is enough lodging facilities for the large number of participants who are expected to attend.”
The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establish India as a great sporting nation.
