Uttar Pradesh braces to host its biggest sporting event to date at Babu Banarasi Das University as the Khelo India University Games 2023 (KIUG) will be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually on Thursday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will meet the players on this historic occasion in Lucknow. Over 4000 athletes will represent over 200 universities across 21 sports in this 10-day event. The event will conclude at Banaras Hindu University Varanasi on June 3.
Additional Chief Secretary Sports Navneet Sehgal said that based on the number of young players, this is going to be the biggest event of the state, it could be termed as the Maha Kumbh of sports. “Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Sports Nisith Pramanik and all the ministers and officials of the state will be present on the occasion. Famous singer Kailash Kher will also perform at the launch event,” he said.
Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2022 will be held in four cities, including Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Besides the state capital, shooting competitions will also be organised in New Delhi.
He said that as per the schedule, Lucknow will host 12 sports events, including archery, judo, mallakhamb, volleyball, fencing, badminton, table tennis, rugby, athletics, hockey and football at 8 venues.
Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) will host 5 sports events, including basketball, kabaddi, boxing, swimming and weightlifting at 3 venues. IIT-BHU, Varanasi will host 2 sports wrestling and yoga, while Gorakhpur and Delhi will organise rowing and shooting events respectively. Rowing has been included in these games for the first time.
The torch of the games, which departed from Lucknow on May 5, travelled a distance of 8,948 kilometers, passing through 75 districts of the state and returned to Lucknow on Wednesday. The torch will reach BBD University on Thursday.
Four torches were lit and sent off from Lucknow along with Shubhankar Jeetu, the mascot of these games. The four torches covered different parts of UP and received a grand welcome by sports persons and sports lovers everywhere.
Meanwhile, more than five and a half lakh people registered their presence and encouraged sports persons from various universities participating in the Khelo India University Games.
Even though the official inauguration of the Khelo India University Games will take place on Thursday, the event has already started on May 23 with Kabaddi in Gautam Buddha Nagar. The first day of the Kabaddi competition began with a cultural programme at SVSP Sports Complex.
On the second day basketball matches started at Gautam Buddha University Indoor Stadium on Wednesday, while Malkhamb, Volleyball, Table Tennis, Rugby, Football (boys and girls) and Tennis matches started in Lucknow.
ACS Sehgal said, “The opening ceremony of these games will be so grand that all eyes will be on Lucknow. The atmosphere of sports in UP has completely changed now. The Yogi government, which is always ahead in promoting sports persons, is all set to leave its mark on the world sports arena with the help of Khelo India University Games.”
He said, “The same enthusiasm, which was seen during the recent IPL matches held in Lucknow, will be seen in the Khelo India University Games too. The sports infrastructure of UP will be further strengthened with the holding of this event.”
Sehgal said that the UP government is committed to providing excellent services to the players participating in these games. “The organisation of Khelo India University Games will help attract both students and teachers to sports, creating an ecosystem in universities. Organising such competitions will also promote sports culture in the state,” he said.
