Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday announced Haryana as the host state for the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), which is currently scheduled to take place after Tokyo Olympics.
The fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Panchkula in Haryana.
"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 Honourable Prime Minister, has been instrumental in identifying grassroots 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," said Rijiju via video conferencing in the presence of Sandeep Singh, Sports Minister of Haryana, Ravi Mital, Secretary Sports, and Sandip Pradhan, Director General, Sports Authority of India.
"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. 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," the sports minister added.
Haryana has been consistently doing well in all three editions of KIYG. While they came second in both KIYG 2019 and 2020 editions (200 medals in 2020 and 159 medals in 2019) they won KIYG 2018 edition with 102 medals (38 gold, 26 silver, 38 bronze).
"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. 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," the Haryana chief minister said.
"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," he added.
Haryana has produced many elite athletes, such as, wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, para-athlete Deepa Malik, athlete Neeraj Chopra, Boxer Amit Panghal and shooters Sanjeev Rajput, Manu Bhakar, sh Bhanwala, among others, who have represented and won medals for India at international platforms.
( With inputs from ANI )