Gulmarg, Feb 26: Prime Minister Narender Modi Friday said Khelo India International Games Festival that is being held in the world famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district signifies that J&K is touching new heights in peace and development.
Addressing over 600 participants including international players through virtual mode at Gulmarg, the Prime Minister Modi said that every Indian is keenly looking at the grand festival.
“This festival sends a message across the country—One India, strong India,” he said.
The Prime Minister Modi said that the participation of national and international players in the Khelo India International Games Festival Gulmarg will raise the moral and self-confidence of every participant. “This festival will also add to the challenges and competition before the J&K teams and help them further excel in the winter games,” he said.
He said with Gulmarg hosting the grand event, the development signifies that J&K is touching new heights in peace and developmental fronts. “Jammu and Srinagar will have Khelo India Centres of Excellence to be followed with such centres in all districts of the UT,” he said.
He said that challenges left by the deadly pandemic are dying down slowly and sports activities are picking up. “Sports is not just a hobby but you learn team spirit and you learn to build self-confidence,” PM Modi said. “There are many small countries in the world that are earning fame by excelling in various fields of sports.”
He said there will be a sports policy that will be followed in each state and UT where sports professionals and talented youth will be identified. “Seniors will have to teach juniors,” he said and wishing all the best to over 600 players including international players who are part of the grand event.
J&K to get 2 Khelo India Centres of Excellence: Kiren Rijiju
Union Minister of State (MoS) for Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry Kiren Rijiju Friday said that Jammu and Kashmir will soon get two start of Khelo India Centers of Excellence one each in Srinagar and Jammu while as water sports will begin in famous Dal lake in the coming summer.
Addressing national and international athletes at world famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the MoS Sports said that the Centre has approved two Khelo India Centers of Excellence for J&K. “Srinagar and Jammu will soon get start of art Khelo India Centers for excellence where national and international experts will come and identity the sports talent,” he said.
He said that each district will have Khelo India Centers where retired players and officials will help identify the sports talent.
“We will ensure that Kashmiri youth’s participation in Olympic games so that Kashmiri boys too get Olympic medals and make the country proud,” Rijiju said.
He said that GoI has also approved water sports for Dal Lake in Srinagar in the coming summer. “We will inaugurate water sports in Dale Lake in summers. Watersports has a great potential in Srinagar and Kashmir,” the MoS Sports said.
He said he will personally watch sports events at Gulmarg today and announced that he will also meet representatives of various sports federations and see what further steps can be taken to promote sports activities in Kashmir. Later, talking to KNO exclusively, the MoS Rijiju said that next time, announcement of such festivals will be made much earlier so that all stakeholders put in their best and get enough time to prepare. “There is a lot in the pipeline for Kashmir, just wait and watch,” he said.
UT administration working to promote sports culture in J&K: LG Manoj Sinha
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha Friday said that the UT administration is working to promote sports culture and every effort will be put in to have participation of local, national, and international players.
The Jammu and Kashmir government along with the union sports ministry is organizing the 2nd Khelo India winter games in snow-capped Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district with huge participation of players of different winter sports.
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha in a brief address to the reporters on the sidelines of the event, as per news agency —Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has out four moons this event and I am very thankful to him for that and administration is working to promote sports culture in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the sports ministry has proposed a center of excellence for winger games here in Gulmarg and there might be questions as to why the work has not started since when it was announced last year as well. “There are the directions for no construction in Gulmarg from the court but we will approach them to get permission for construction of the center of excellence in Gulmarg,” he said.
He said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration is working to promote sports culture since there is no dearth of talent and all the best facilities will be provided with good coaches and trainers from India and across the globe.
The administration will put in every effort to ensure “we have national and international level players from Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The MoS for Sports and youth affairs, Kiren Rijiju in his brief said that the 2nd national winter games were inaugurated today in Gulmarg that started with the inaugural address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the players are very motivated.
While congratulating the Jammu and Kashmir administration, MoS said that the khelo India has been started very well by the administration and I congratulate all the players and preparations are underway for the events in the times come.
The next khelo India games in the Gulmarg schedule will be announced in advance in a calendar manner so that it keeps going and there is more ease in making all the arrangements, he informed adding that dates will be fixed by UT administration in close touch with the sports ministry.
While congratulating the players, the MoS said that the festival will conclude successfully. kno