PM Modi to launch Khelo India School Games on Wednesday

Prime Minister will launch the first Khelo India School Games at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

Pic courtesy: Twitter/@kheloindia (File photo)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the first Khelo India School Games at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

Prime Minister @narendramodi will launch the first Khelo India School Games at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi tomorrow. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 30, 2018

The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establishing India as a great sporting nation. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 30, 2018

In keeping with Prime Minister's vision, Khelo India is expected to help find young talent from the schools in various disciplines and groom them as future sports champions. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 30, 2018

Talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by a High-Powered Committee will be provided annual financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh per annum for 8 years. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 30, 2018

The games will highlight India’s young sporting talent and showcase India's sports potential. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 30, 2018

The week-long inaugural edition will be an Under-17 event where athletes have been invited to participate across 16 disciplines.

These are - Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Shooting, Swimming, Volleyball, Weightlifting, and Wrestling.

There will be 199 gold, 199 silver and 275 bronze medals at stake.

Talented players identified in priority sports disciplines by a high-powered committee will be provided annual financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh per annum for eight years.

On January 28, 2018, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore had said that not just books, but sports also teach one about values of life.

Speaking on the sidelines of `Khelo India` pledge launch, he had said, "Sports are for learning value of life. It is just not the books that teach you about life but also sports. We are trying to strengthen that culture (through `Khelo India` initiative)."

Rathore had cited the example of Indian Army saying that the soldiers play not for excellence, but for the values they learn by playing together.

Talking about Khelo India, launched by Ministry of Sports, he had said, "There are 12 verticals in `Khelo India`, one of which is Khelo India school games and Khelo India college games to create a platform at the highest level for Under-17 and Under-21. We will provide them the same quality and infrastructure to make them feel as if they are playing in the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games."

"We are focusing on women-oriented sports. So we will encourage women to participate in sports. You teach one generation you would have taught four generations," Rathore had added.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)