The 21st Janajati National Sports meet gets underway at Tepesia on Thursday. Around 1200 participants from across the country are taking part in the three-day sports meet. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal formally inaugurated the sports meet at the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), at Tapesia in the outskirts of Guwahati.
The sports meet is being organized by Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA). All the participants are exclusively from the tribal communities – counting more than 100 from across the country.
Besides archery, marathon and other athletic events, there will be exhibition of traditional games of northeast India during the event.
In his inaugural address, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal thanked the organizers for the sports meet for choosing Assam.
Sonowal said that the efforts of ABVKA are providing ample opportunities for the tribal youths from the interior villages to be traced and nurtured with their sports talents which otherwise go unnoticed and unattended.
The CM also stated the his government in Assam has for the first time adopted a Sports Policy wherein the medal winning sports persons are provided with cash incentives and training facilities so that they can further come out flying colours in their respective fields.
Referring to the fact that India is a youth nation, Sonowal added that if the youth awaken, the nation is awaken. Referring to the tagline ‘Khelego to khiloge’, the CM called upon the youth to work hard and succeed in their respective sports arenas.
Sports personalities like Satyadev Prasad (Olympian Archer), Anshu Jamsenpa (World Record holding Everester), Gulap Rabha (World Champion- Body Building), Lovlina Borgohain (boxer) and Nipan Das, the coach of Hima Das were also felicitated by the CM during the inaugural session.
Speaking on the occasion ABVKA presdient Jagdeoram Oraon said that his organisation has been conducting such sports meet in different parts of the country in every four years and the 21th National Janjati Sports Meet 2018 is a golden opportunity especially for the youth of Northeast to exhibit their inherent talents and channelize their capabilities in pursuit of success.
