Karnataka to host Khelo India University Games 2021

We have to play international sports and we have toplay our traditional indigenous sports, he added.Rijiju said the state will have many facilities similarto the Sports Authority of India facility in Bengaluru.Yediyurappa said about 150 universities are likely toparticipate in the event.The sports meet will be organised at the KanteeravaStadium and hockey matches will be organised at the GeneralCariappa Hockey Stadium.

Karnataka will host the secondKhelo India University Games (KIUG) later this year, statechief minister BS Yediyurappa and Union Sports Minister KirenRijiju announced on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Games tobe held in the city-based Jain University and other venues,Rijiju told a press conference here.

''We have decided that the second edition of Khelo IndiaUniversity Games will be given to Karnataka and the universityis Jain University,'' he said, in the presence of Yediyurappaand state Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister K C NarayanaGowda.

The union minister said he was confident that the JainUniversity would organise one of the best university games inthe country's history.

It would be held in partnership with Association ofIndian Universities (AIU).

KIUG is the largest University Games in the country andis aimed at tapping sporting talent, who can represent Indiain international events, including the Olympics.

The first edition of KIUG was held in Bhubaneswar inFebruary last year and saw a total participation of 3,182athletes in the U-25 age group, across 158 universities andcolleges from all states.

This year, Yogasana and Mallakhamb have been added to theroster, with an effort to preserve and promote the century-oldsporting disciplines of the country.

With the inclusion of these disciplines, the athleteparticipation figure is expected to cross 4000, this year.

Earlier in the day, Rijiju visited Shivamogga where heannounced a Rs 50 crore project comprising a multi-purposesports centre of high standards in the district.

Rijiju underlined that a large and young country likeIndia with the highest number of young people in the worldmust be in the top rank in the Olympics in the future.

''India cannot afford to be satisfied with one or twomedals. We Indians have talents, Indians have all thepotential but unfortunately we could not focus, we lackedvision in the past,'' he pointed out.

The Minister explained that the Centre has also startedindigenous games and recognised five indigenous games, whichare Malkhamb, Kallaripayattu, Gatka, Thang Ta and Yogasana.

''We are going to provide lots of funding of indigenoussports. We have to play international sports and we have toplay our traditional indigenous sports,'' he added.

Rijiju said the state will have many facilities similarto the Sports Authority of India facility in Bengaluru.

Yediyurappa said about 150 universities are likely toparticipate in the event.

The sports meet will be organised at the KanteeravaStadium and hockey matches will be organised at the GeneralCariappa Hockey Stadium. All the arrangements will be borne bythe state government and the university, the Chief Ministersaid.PTI GMS SSCVS VS

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