Bengaluru gears up for Khelo India University Games 2021

Bengaluru, April 11 (IANS) With just two weeks left for the most-awaited Khelo India University Games 2021, the Government of Karnataka, along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is all geared up to host the biggest national sporting extravaganza post pandemic, here with Jain University as the host.

The second edition of the Khelo India University games was supposed to be held in the year 2021 but was postponed to 2022 due to the Covid -19 in the country. The event, which aims to create a platform for youth to showcase their sporting excellence and provides universities from across India a chance to showcase their supremacy outside the education curriculum, is slated to begin on April 24 and conclude on May 3.

Over 4,500 participants representing around 190 universities will vie for top honours in 20 different sports including indigenous sports like Mallakhamba and yogasana being introduced for the first time in Khelo India University Games 2021.

"We are absolutely delighted to host the second edition of Khelo India University Games in Jain deemed-to-be University. This is a great initiative under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which will provide the right platform for aspiring athletes to step up their performance at the national level and get to experience a mega multi-discipline games.

"The Karnataka Government is ensuring all preparations are in place so these budding stars can experience a unique games and we want to ensure the best infrastructure for them to compete. We have received unparalleled support from the Union Ministry of Sports and SAI and our officials are also working round-the-clock to make sure all participating universities have a memorable games and enjoy the hospitality of Karnataka," stated Dr KC Narayana Gowda, Minister of state youth empowerment and sports, while addressing the media on Monday.

While 13 disciplines including weightlifting, wrestling, judo, kabaddi, volleyball, swimming, mallakhambha, yogasana, archery, fencing, karate, boxing and football will be held at the Jain University Global Campus. Football, table tennis, badminton and tennis will be held at the Jain Sports School and shooting will be held in SAI, Southern Centre. Both Campuses boast of world class infrastructure with state-of-art amenities for sporting excellence.

A newly-laid synthetic turf for athletics at the Kanteerava Stadium will be used for the first time during the Khelo India University Games while a renovated Field Marshal Cariappa stadium awaits hockey teams to take to the field.

Karnataka Government has also taken up the initiative of making this a unique event by promoting environment sustainability. Calling it the 'Green Games,' the organizers will ensure there won't be use of single-use plastic at the venues, the Games will serve food at all venues with reusable cutlery and make provision for segregated waste storage and management.

Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Chairman- Khelo India University Games said, "The Khelo India Scheme of the Union Government launched in 2016 delivers the double purpose of broad-basing sports at the grassroot level while fuelling excellence in sports."

"The Khelo India University Games, envisioned by Honourable PM, is organised under the aegis of the Khelo India Scheme, and was started with the thought that in all developed countries Universities act as the bedrock of sporting talent for international competitions such as the Olympics and India should look at University athletes with more seriousness," stated Sujata.

In the inagugral edition held in 2020, Punjab University won the overall championship title and Savitribai Phule Pune University won the runners-up title.

Mangalore University brought glory for the Karnataka State by finishing 5th in the overall medal tally with total of 25 medals and this year's hosts Jain deemed-to-be University finished overall seventh with total of 16 medals.