Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): School education minister, Inder Singh Parmar, and sports and youth welfare minister, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, inaugurated the 66th National School Games at dolled-up Tatya Tope Stadium on Wednesday. As children were performing Mallakhamba, Scindia stood breathless near the performance arena, looking at them with a wide-eyed wonder. Cheering for the kids and taking their names with a sportsman’s enthusiasm, she won the hearts of kids from other states at the inauguration ceremony.
General Secretary of the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), Amarjit Sharma, and Vice President Mukhtej Singh Badeshawere also present at the inaugural ceremony.
FP Photo
During the inaugural, young kids performed Gatka, Kalaripayattu, and Mallakhamb.
But the stars of the night were international B-boy Kareem and B-boy Arif Chaudhary, who performed with the athletes of the Madhya Pradesh Academy. Breaking will be one of the medal events at the upcoming Paris Olympics. The kids that performed are part of the first batch of the Madhya Pradesh State Break Dance Academy.
During his address, Parmar said, "People who choose sports with passion not only hail flags for their state, but they also bring laurels for the country. You athletes have chosen a path to bring glory to the country, and I appreciate you for that. We have many traditional sports in India, and we are working to get them the recognition that those sporting disciplines deserve."
Wishing the athletes luck for the tournament, Scindia said, "You athletes are here for your sport; perform well. Keep in mind that our coaches are looking at your performances; if you perform well, you can join the state sports academy in 20% of the seats reserved for athletes from other states."
She added, "Our goal is not just to win national medals; we want our athletes to bring laurels for the country. The extraordinary athletes from different states came to check out MP’s sports infrastructure and to join for a better future in sports."
After the performances, the break-dancing team gave a raw performance for the athletes and invited everyone to join in to show their moves.
