Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the 38th National Games in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Modi declared the Games open at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun on January 28.
Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen carried the National Games torch to the stage where Modi was in presence alongside Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh, among other dignitaries.
"Inaugurating the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand. It is a celebration of India's incredible sporting talent and showcases the spirit of athletes from across the country," Modi wrote on his social media platform X.
The PM also addressed the gathering at the venue. "Today, the National Games are going to start. This year is the 25th year of the formation of Uttarakhand. Thousands of youth from every corner of the country are going to show their prowess in this young state," Modi said to the gathered crowd.
"A very beautiful picture of Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat is visible here. Many indigenous traditional games have been included in the National Games. This time the National Games are also Green Games. All the balls and trophies are made from e-waste. A tree will be planted in the name of the players who win. I wish all the players the best for their best performance," he added.
During his speech, Modi also highlighted India's efforts and interest in hosting the Olympic Games in 2036. "Our Kho-Kho team won the Gold Medal, Gukesh D, won the World Chess Champion...This has shown that in India sports is not just an extracurricular activity. Now our youth are treating Sports as a primary career option. India is putting efforts to host the Olympic Games in 2036," Modi said further.
Around 10,000 athletes and officials from 38 teams will be participating in the 18-day National Games. Six cities - Haridwar, Nainital, Haldwani, Rudrapur, Shivpuri and New Tehri - alongside Dehradun will host the Games.
The event will witness Olympic sports like athletics, shooting, wrestling, swimming, hockey, boxing, badminton, weightlifting, football, tennis and table tennis. Apart from the main sporting events, there will be some demonstration sports. The four demonstration (non-medal) sports are kalarippayattu, yogasana, mallakhambh and rafting.