Tribune News Service
Deepankar Sharda
Panchkula, June 4
By sheer numbers, the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), which started here today, is the biggest sporting event hosted in Panchkula district.
While over 8,500 players expected to take part in KIYG at five different venues, the Panchkula district alone will host close to 4,700 players. Out of these 4,700 players, over 2,200 will be girls. “This is one of the most important tournaments to be hosted by the district. Though the stadium has hosted matches of Pro Kabaddi League, Indian Cricket League, I-League and many other national championships, KIYG is special as it’s a national event for various disciplines at one venue,” said an official, adding: “It is due to these games that the district has got an impressive sports infrastructure for future generations.”
3-star accommodation
The organisers have ensured three-star accommodation for the athletes and technical crew. “The athletes will stay in three-star hotels and high-quality nutritious food would be served to them,” said Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar before the event started. “Besides, adequate arrangements have been made for their safe and secure travel from hotels to the venue.” Signboards, advertisements and guide maps have been put up at the venue to provide information about the grounds, competition programmes and other necessary information so the players and spectators remain well informed, the CM said.
The athletes have been accommodated at various hotels in Panchkula, Zirakpur and Chandigarh, and a majority of the officials have been accommodated in Chandigarh. Over 150 buses have been hired for easy transportation of the athletes.
A team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists with ambulances has been arranged at each venue and the diet of players will be supervised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) team.
Special attraction at P’kula
As many as 25 disciplines will be organised in five cities venues — Panchkula, Ambala, Shahabad, Chandigarh and Delhi.
Panchkula’s Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex will be the centrestage of the event. Five traditional sports — Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta, Mallakhamb and Yogasana — will be organised here, for which air-conditioned hangars have been constructed on the cricket ground of the complex .
The athletics tournament will also be held in Panchkula from June 7 to 9. The league matches and one of the semifinals of the football event will be held at Panjab University from June 4 to 10, while another semifinal and final will be held at Tau Devi Lal Stadium. Badminton matches will be held from June 4 to 7, table tennis from June 9 to 13 and kabaddi from June 3 to 7 at Panchkula. Handball matches will be held from June 9 to 13, wrestling from June 4 to 8, basketball from June 9 to 13, volleyball from June 3 to 8, and boxing and kho-kho from June 9 to 13.
Key numbers
1,866 medals
Athletes will fight it out for a total of 1,866 medals, including 545 gold, 545 silver, and 776 bronze.
Budget
KIYG will be held in a budget of around Rs 250 crore. Out of this, around Rs 139 crore has been spent on sports infrastructure in Panchkula.
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