Tribune News Service
Ahmedabad, September 29
The sky over the Motera locality of the city was lit up with fireworks as Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the 36th National Games open after a glittering ceremony.
After a brief speech, the PM lit the Unity Torch in the company of current and former sports stars such as Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, Gagan Narang, Mirabai Chanu, Anju Bobby George and Dilip Tirkey.
“I want to give a mantra to everyone who will participate. If you want to win, then you have to learn about commitment and continuity,” the PM said. “In sports, success and failure is not the end of life. The sportsman’s spirit is an essential part. You have to transfer this energy from the playfield to the outside world and this should be your mission in life,” he added.
The opening ceremony was a big Navratri festival with garba playing a central role in it. The dancers wowed the capacity crowd, estimated to be one lakh, with their seamless transitions between songs.
Tennis player Ankita Raina, who will represent Gujarat, took the oath on behalf of the athletes. The ceremony began early in the evening and popular Gujarati singer Parth Oza was the first to take the stage. Then playback singer Divya Kumar got the crowd going with his popular number Shubhaarambh from the movie Kai Po Che.
Mohit Chauhan too spent a considerable amount of time on the stage before Shankar Mahadevan and his troupe got the crowd grooving with his hit songs.
The PM urged the athletes to soak in the Gujarat experience. “It is a coincidence that while we are here for the National Games, the Navratri festivities are going on. I request you all to enjoy these festivities alongside competing in sports. I saw Neeraj Chopra enjoying garba last night. These festivities bring a lot of cheer and bring people together,” the PM said.
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