- Deputy Chief Minister attends the closing ceremony of the state-level school sports competition
- 845 athletes and over 150 officials from across the state participated
- Bilaspur Division emerged as the overall champion
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Mr. Arun Sao, stated that there is no shortage of sports talent in Chhattisgarh. The need is to identify and hone this talent and provide better opportunities for advancement. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mr. Vishnu Deo Sai, the state government is continuously working towards the holistic development of sports and athletes. Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sao made these remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of the 26th State-Level School Sports Competition in Bilaspur today as the chief guest.
Encouraging the athletes, Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sao remarked that only those who strive and sweat it out on the sports field reach new heights of success. “Those who play, will shine.” Today, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is placing special priority on the development of sports and athletes. Through initiatives like ‘Khelo India,’ sports talent is gaining better opportunities to progress. He noted that the Chhattisgarh government is also consistently working for the betterment of sports and athletes. The state has organized the Bastar and Surguja Olympics. Chhattisgarh has also had the opportunity to host the ‘Khelo India National Tribal Games.’ Along with reviving the discontinued sports awards, the state government has taken significant steps to encourage outstanding athletes.
Mr. Sao mentioned that on August 29, the state government awarded a sum of ₹1.74 crore to athletes as an incentive. The Chhattisgarh Hockey League is scheduled to be held in the last week of October. A provision of ₹100 crore has been made in this year’s budget under the ‘Mukhyamantri Khel Utkarsh Yojana’ (Chief Minister’s Sports Excellence Scheme). Through this scheme, sports infrastructure and sports science will be strengthened alongside the overall development of sports. Bilaspur Emerges as Overall Champion with 3800 Points
A total of 845 athletes and over 150 officials from the state’s five administrative divisions participated in the 26th State-Level School Sports Competition. The four-day event featured competitions in baseball, swimming, and water polo. Delivering an outstanding performance across all events, the Bilaspur division secured the title of overall champion with a score of 3800 points.
The competition was held at the Sanjay Taran Pushkar (swimming pool complex) and the Chhattisgarh School Sports Ground in Bilaspur. During the closing ceremony, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Sao and other dignitaries honored the winning athletes by presenting them with awards.
- Sports Are Essential Alongside Education: MLA Shri Amar Agrawal
Bilaspur MLA Shri Amar Agrawal stated that life is multifaceted. Along with education, maintaining physical and mental strength is crucial, and sports play a vital role in this regard. He noted that the policies formulated for sports development under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have yielded results, enabling Indian athletes to excel in various international competitions today. He added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, the government has actively worked to develop sports infrastructure.
- Sports Competition Brightens the Future: MLA Shri Dharamlal Kaushik
Bilha MLA Shri Dharamlal Kaushik remarked that continuous efforts are being made to establish a new identity for Chhattisgarh through sports. Competition exists in every sphere of life, and the competition experienced on the sports field brightens the athletes’ futures. He urged the athletes to bring glory to their families, the state, and the country in the field of sports.
The closing ceremony was attended by Masturi MLA Shri Dilip Lahariya, Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation Chairman Shri Raja Pandey, Additional Collector Shri Shiv Kumar Banerjee, Joint Director (Education, Bilaspur Division) Shri Ashwani Kumar Bhardwaj, District Education Officer Smt. Varsha Sharma, and Assistant Director (Sports) Shri G.D. A large number of public representatives, officials, employees, and sports enthusiasts were present, including Garg, Bilha BEO Shri Bhupendra Kaushik, Shri Mohit Jaiswal, and Shri Deepak Singh.