Gurugram, Nov 2 (PTI) Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the 27th Haryana State Sports Festival here on Sunday and said India is being seen as an emerging sports power in which his state has played a decisive role.
The festival has been organised under the aegis of the Haryana Olympic Association at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said strong sports infrastructure and player-friendly facilities are together creating a new chapter in history.
Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the world now views India as an emerging sports power in which Haryana has a decisive role, Saini added.
The event was graced by Indian Olympic Association President and parliamentarian P T Usha, Haryana Olympic Association President Capt. Jasvinder Meenu Beniwal, and several award-winning athletes from the state.
After paying floral tribute to Major Dhyan Chand’s statue and lighting the ceremonial lamp, Chief Minister Saini said the festival, being held under theme ‘Mitti se Medal tak’ (from the grassroots to the podium), is a pledge to identify, nurture, and polish talents from every village, city, and sports ground, and take them to the global stage.
He said the Haryana State Games are not just a competition, but a test of skill, courage, and determination. Saini said that to ensure secure employment for outstanding sportspersons, the government has formulated the “Haryana Outstanding Sportsperson Service Rules, 2021,” under which 550 new posts have been created in the Sports Department.
The chief minister added that, respecting sporting talent, the Haryana government has awarded Rs 641 crore in cash prizes to players over the past 11 years. Under the Haryana Sports Equipment Provision Scheme, 15,634 players have been provided with sports equipment.
The festival will conclude on November 8 in Kurukshetra. The seven-day event will feature 24 different sports events across nine districts of Haryana, as well as in Chandigarh and New Delhi. PTI COR NSD NSD
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