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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted sports 'transformative force' and how the Khelo India Beach Games were a watershed moment in the nation's sporting history.
In his message to the Games organisers in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and the Sports Authority of India, PM Modi congratulated and bestowed his wishes, saying that the Beach Games promise to make waves in India's sporting calendar. PM Modi said the choice of Diu as the venue of the Khelo India Beach Games was "fitting" and said as quoted from a press release by SAI Media, "An amalgamation of sun, sand and water, they enhance the physical challenge and at the same time, celebrate our coastal heritage," said PM Modi, adding: "As waves lash the shores and athletes compete. India will script a new sporting chapter." The Beach Games, held under the ever-expanding Khelo India umbrella for the first time, were formally declared open by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, in a colourful ceremony on the Ghoghla Beach, the venue of the Games in Diu on Monday. The Khelo India Beach Games have brought together more than 1350 athletes from over 30 states and Union Territories. On May 24, when the Games are scheduled to end, athletes would have competed in six medal sports - soccer, volleyball, sepaktakraw, kabaddi, pencaksilat and open water swimming. Mallakhamb and tug-of-war are the two non-medal (demonstration) disciplines. Monday morning started with beach soccer games. "In a nation as diverse as ours, sports have always held a unique power that unites cultures, regions and languages. The vibrant energy of sports goes beyond entertainment and has become a transformative force, symbolising national pride and aspirations of our youth. It is in this context that the Khelo India Beach Games hold a greater significance," said PM Modi. The nicely crafted opening ceremony, glorifying India's amazing diversity in traditional dance forms, was witnessed by several dignitaries, including the Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep Praful Patel, the Lt Governor of Puducherry K. Kailashnathan, and Admiral DK Joshi, the Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. "Today, we are not just inaugurating a sports event, we are heralding India's first Beach sports revolution! I believe that where there are waves, there should be passion; where there is sand, there should be a fire of enthusiasm -- and the Khelo India Beach Games have ignited that fire in all our hearts today," said Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. "Under the Modi government, we do not organise events just as a formality -- we are on a mission. And this mission connects sports to employment. For a Viksit Bharat, Khelo India is a sure pathway for youth to achieve their dreams," he added. Saying that Khelo India has added more Games to the domestic calendar, Mandaviya, like PM Modi, highlighted how over the last few years, the government spared no effort to boost the sporting ecosystem through investments in infrastructure, better training facilities and supportive measures for sportspersons. Mandaviya amplified this by saying that the new Games are a way to "strengthen the domestic sports infrastructure and send a strong message to the world that India is capable of hosting international sporting events of any scale." Mandaviya said the Khelo India Beach Games should not be seen as a "casual" affair and said, "Such sports like beach volleyball not only appeal to the youth as a hobby but also offer them career opportunities. This is the first time that competitive sports are being held on such a large scale on the beaches of India." The Union Minister said India was becoming a fitness-conscious nation, and a culture of sports has become the "new normal". He also highlighted the government's strong commitment to the Union Territory. (ANI)
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