Ahmedabad: Arrangements are in full swing in six cities of Gujarat as the State is hosting the 36th National Games for the first time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate National Games 2022 at a gala event to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium on September 29 in Ahmedabad. Over 34 games will be played from September 29 to October 12 in six cities--Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara--the opening ceremony will be attended by Bollywood stars and famous players.
A total of 7,000 players from different states of the country will participate. The National Games, being held after seven years due to Covid-19, are expected to break new records and achieve new milestones in many sports. Preparations have been going on in Gujarat for the past two months and all the sports grounds have been cleaned and painted.
On July 8, 2022, it was officially announced that Gujarat will be the host, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed happiness and thanked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). In the National Games, 34 sports like athletics, hockey, football, volleyball, lawn tennis, table tennis, judo, kho-kho, wrestling and malkham will be played in indoor and outdoor stadiums.
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Gujarat Sports Minister Harsh Sanghvi said that they will leave no stone unturned in the planning and success of the 36th National Games 2022. "Gujarat is now moving forward to become a sports hub. Prime Minister Narendra Modi started 'Khel Mahakumbh' in Gujarat in 2010. With its success, a sports culture has emerged in Gujarat today. A whole ecosystem has been created. Following the success of Gujarat's Khel Mahakumbh, national and international players like Sarita Gaekwad, Mana Patel, Harmeet Desai and Murali Gavit have emerged", the Minister said.
Harsh Sanghvi further stated that Gujarat has started a Sports University for systematic and scientific training of youth, who want to make a career out of sports. A grand budget of around Rs 250 crore has been allocated for sports today. State-of-the-art large stadiums like Trans Stadia are built through Public Private partnerships. One-and-a-half lakh people, including sports lovers and famous players, will be present at the colourful opening ceremony.
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According to sources in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Anupam Kher, actresses Kangana Ranaut, Kiran Khair and Madhuri Dixit are likely to attend the opening ceremony. Apart from that, well-known cricketers and well-known sportsmen have been invited.
The closing ceremony of the National Games will be held at the Indoor Stadium in Surat. It's a coincidence during the National Games Navratri celebrations are also being held. Hence, the players will be able to enjoy the 'Garba' of Gujarat, along with the sports festival. The National Games were last held in Kerala in 2015.
Yogasana got a place in the National Games for the first time. The world will now see yoga in the form of a game. By including Yogasana in the national sports festival, Gujarat will now fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Fit India and Yoga for Life mantras. Yoga competitions are usually held in three main events as a residential sport where athletes perform 10 asanas in artistic, rhythmic and traditional categories.
