Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the 36th National Games in front of over 100,000 jubilant fans during a magnificent opening ceremony on Thursday.
36th National Games officially opened by PM Modi during a grand event
Maana Patel, a standout swimmer from Gujarat, carried the symbolic Torch of Unity into the arena and presented it to the prime minister in a nod to traditional Olympic customs with a contemporary twist.
The Prime Minister set the Torch on the podium so that it could be lit by augmented reality while being observed and cheered on by numerous current and former sports icons, including World Championship medalist Anju Bobby George, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, Olympic medalists PV Sindhu, Ravi Dahiya, Mirabai Chanu, and Gagan Narang, as well as former national hockey captain and new HI chief Dilip Tirkey.
When the prime minister stood to speak, the stadium burst inside , demonstrating his enduring popularity in the state.
Until eight years ago, Indian athletes competed in fewer than 100 international competitions. Since then, the nation’s sports budget has increased by about 70 percent. Today, Indian athletes compete in more than 300 international competitions,” the PM noted. The Prime Minister noted that the National Games would serve as a launching pad for every child, praising the theme of the Games hymn, “Judega India, Jitega India.”
In addition, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel extended a warm welcome to the more than 7,000 athletes who came from “every part of the country” on behalf of all Gujaratis in the state and around the globe.
According to a long-standing Olympic tradition, the athletes from 36 States and Union Territories plus Services performed “Ek Bharat,” a ceremonial march past. The Gujarat delegation, which included 700 people and was led by tennis player Ankita Raina, received the loudest cheers. Raina also swore to uphold on representative of all the sportsmen.
The greatest athletes in India will participate in 36 sports in six cities throughout Gujarat during the National Games, which are being staged after seven years. Although they began on September 20 to make room for table tennis players headed for the World Championship, they will pick up momentum on Friday as nine disciplines begin and numerous top athletes enter the competition.
The PM had already used augmented reality to digitally launch the Swarnim Gujarat Sports Unity, which prepared the audience for an amazing performance. The evening began with a spectacular performance that featured various of Gujarat’s traditional art forms.
20 Years of Vision, Leadership, and Governance – Vande Gujarat!
One of the evening’s highlights was a cultural presentation by 600 local performers, including singers and artists.
