NEW DELHI: Haryana will host the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games in Panchkula next year. The decision was announced by Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijuju here Sunday.
“It’s a huge honour for Haryana to host the Khelo India Games and it was the vision of our CM Manohar Lal Khattar that we had proposed to host the fourth edition of Khelo India Games in our state. I am thankful to Kiren Rijiju ji for giving us this opportunity. While Haryana’s contribution in terms of winning medals for India has been the highest, the state had not hosted any national games in the past. This opportunity will also motivate youngsters and imbibe competition spirit in the youth of the state. Having multi-sport infrastructure for games like athletics, football, wrestling, badminton and good connectivity worked in favour of Panchkula. We will make sure that any shortcomings in terms of infrastructure are removed,” Haryana Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Sandeep Singh told The Indian Express.
Rijuju said that the tentative dates for the event will be towards the end of 2021.
The state has more than 80 stadiums, including more than 10 sports complexes in cities like Panchkula, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Faridabad and Sonipat. The newly renovated multi-purpose hall at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Panchkula, was completed in 2018 with a cost of more than Rs 13 crore. In the third edition of Khelo India Games held at Guwahati, more than 10,000 players and officials were part of the event.
After topping the medal tally with a total of 108 medals in the inaugural edition of Khelo India games at Delhi in 2018, Haryana had finished second in the last two editions of the games.
