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Eleven thousand five hundred athletes vying for 1,200 medals at 26 venues in seven districts in Kerala over a period of 15 days.
This in a nutshell explains the agenda that the State has set for itself for the 35th National Games that it will play host to from January 31 to February 15 next year.
SEVEN DISTRICTS
The Planning Commission will bear a part of the Rs 612-crore event through the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.
Apart from the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, the venues will be spread out to Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.
This would turn the small State with a population of three crore with hardly any rural-urban divide into one giant crucible of intense sports activity for 15 days from January 31, 2015.
Indian Olympics Association President N Ramachandran announced a 218-day countdown to the start of the games at a function held in Thiruvananthpauram.
NEEDED IMPETUS
He expressed the hope that the games would give the needed impetus for Indian sport as it tries to shake off the not-so-savoury developments in the immediate past.
Setting off the countdown clock, Union Minister of State for Sports Sarbanand Sonowal hailed the contribution of athletes from Kerala at venues both here and abroad.
He hoped that the State would put in place a perspective plan to make use of the modern infrastructure being created for the Games.
The Minister also said that in future the Olympic Association and the bidding States should ensure that the event is held biennially and as per schedule.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy representing the hosts formally made known its state of readiness to host the National Games.
SPORTS AS VOCATION
The State Government would work in perfect tandem with the Organising Committee to ensure the success of the prestigious event.
“We will roll out the event in scale and pomp that has never been seen in the past. The 36 disciplines of the Games will be hosted in seven districts spread out over a distance of 500 km,” the Chief Minister said.
Organisers would like to ensure the participation of aficionados not just from within the State but also from the entire South India in the Games.
The Games are also intended to take the larger message of cultivating a healthy interest in sports and games to the rural areas and motivate youngsters to take to the vocation seriously.
The State would turn into one big sports village during the Games, the Chief Minister said.
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