Correct Answer : Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (19th Jan 2024) declared the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 open at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The opening ceremony of the national sports event took place in a grand fashion with several cultural programmes exhibiting the traditional and cultural practices of Tamil Nadu.
The event, which is being held for the first time in a south Indian state, will feature over 5,600 athletes. The games will be played across four cities of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, and Coimbatore, from January 19 to January 31. The games will feature 26 sporting disciplines with a mix of conventional sports and traditional ones.
Chief Minister M K Stalin, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, Union Ministers of State L Murugan, Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin were among the dignitaries present alongside the Prime Minister at the event.
Modi placed the Game’s torch handed by Olympians Sharath Kamal and V Subha on the cauldron, marking the inauguration of the Games.
He also launched the foundation stone of projects related to the broadcasting sector worth about Rs 250 crore.
Addressing the gathering, Modi extended his wishes to all the athletes arriving from various parts of the country to the capital city of Tamil Nadu and said, “For Indian sports, the youth games are a great start to 2024.”
“Together you are showcasing the true spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,” he said, adding, “The people of Tamil Nadu, the beautiful language, its culture and cuisine will make the athletes feel at home.”
He said the hospitality of Tamil Nadu will win all hearts and that the Khelo India Youth Games will provide the opportunity for them to showcase their skills as well as help them make new friendships that will last a lifetime.
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s office, talking about the expected growth of India’s sports industry to Rs 1 lakh crore, Modi said there is a new awareness about sports and the resulting growth in broadcasting, sports goods, sports tourism, and sports apparel business.
Modi said Thiruvalluvar inspired the youth and gave them direction and heaped praises on Veera Mangai Velu Nachiyar, an Indian queen who waged a war against the British Colonial rule, which is also the mascot of this edition of the games. He called Nachiyar a symbol of woman power and said it is unprecedented for a real-life personality to be chosen as the mascot..
Source : Indian Express
