Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 on Friday at Chennai’s landmark Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, kicking off a two-week athletic spectacle. Over 5,500 competitors from 26 competitive sports are expected to attend the event. The Khelo India Youth Games is set to be held in southern India for the first time. Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, and Coimbatore are the four cities hosting it from January 19 to January 31.
On January 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, and the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram.
PM Modi will announce and lay the groundwork for ₹250 crore broadcasting projects during the inauguration ceremony. This includes the relaunch of the DD Podhigai channel as DD Tamil, 12 Akashvani FM projects in eight states, and the installation of four DD transmitters in Jammu & Kashmir. Additionally, the Prime Minister will lay the groundwork for 26 new FM transmitter projects in 12 states.
The inauguration event will be attended by Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister Stalin, Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik, and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udayanidhi Stalin.
Athletes will participate in a variety of disciplines, including football, kabaddi, volleyball, Judo, weightlifting, squash, archery, boxing, badminton, table tennis, cycling, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, shooting, yoga, and wrestling. Notably, Silambam, a native Tamil Nadu sport, will be offered as a demo sport for the first time during the Khelo India Youth Games.
High Security Visit of PM
Chennai is under a thorough five-tier security blanket ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s arrival. A no-fly zone has been imposed for drones, and a stunning 22,000 troops have been sent to keep the city in order and secure.
Prime Minister Modi is likely to arrive at Chennai International Airport before flying to INS Adyar by helicopter. From there, he will take an open car to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for the games’ ceremonial opening ceremony. To ensure the security of the Prime Minister’s path, police will divert traffic and watch it from high-rise buildings along the way.
“Intensive security arrangements, intensive checking and surveillance are underway at Periamet, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai where the event takes place, Chennai airport, Raj Bhavan, Guindy, Adyar INS and surrounding areas,” stated a police statement.
The police announced that they will examine lodges, motels, and other star hotels in Chennai for suspicious activity. They also stated that they are monitoring key roadways, crossroads, train stations, and bus terminals. The city police have also prohibited drones in their authority.
New Initiative and Promising Opportunity
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced the introduction of a dedicated mobile application for the Khelo India Youth Games.
“The app will allow participating athletes, coaches, support staff, parents of athletes, and officials from all states to access all game information with the press of a button. This is the first time a dedicated app for the games has been launched,” the ministry stated.
“Khelo India Youth Games 2023 would be another promising opportunity to demonstrate Tamil Nadu’s enviable organising capability and illustrious history in the field of sports,” Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin stated.
What is Khelo India Youth Games?
The Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), which launched in 2018, is an annual multi-sport event focused at discovering and fostering young sports potential in India. It takes place in January or February and contains two categories: under-17 school pupils and under-21 college students participating in 26 sports such as athletics, badminton, boxing, kabaddi, and weightlifting. Over 5,500 athletes from 36 states and union territories compete for 933 medals, with the state with the most gold medals being proclaimed the champion.
The KIYG is the signature event of the Khelo India project, a government program that promotes grassroots sports development. It not only gives out medals but also offers scholarships and training chances to bright athletes, driving them to future athletic greatness.
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