Haryana to host the Khelo India Youth Games in 2021

The fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Panchkula, Haryana, in 2021. The event will be organised soon after the Tokyo Olympics.

Assam hosted the third edition of Khelo India Youth Games earlier this year.

Haryana will host the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games in 2021. On Saturday, Union minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the event will be held in Panchkula, soon after the Tokyo Olympics.

Rijiju said, “I am very happy to announce Haryana as the host state for the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. Khelo India Games, envisioned by our Honourable Prime Minister, has been instrumental in identifying grassroot level talent from across the country, who have represented India in international sporting events. It is the Mahakumbh of sport. Haryana already has a very strong sporting culture and has given the country some of its best athletes…”

READ | Rijiju: ‘We have asked every state to adopt one sport’

“I am sure that with the Games being hosted in the state, more and more aspiring athletes from Haryana will be motivated to take up competitive sport. Usually the Khelo India Youth Games take place in January of every year. However, this time owing to the pandemic, we are having to postpone it. However, I am sure by the time we host the Games the pandemic will abate and we will be able to host the Games at the same scale, with participation of all states and over 10,000 participants.”

Haryana Chief Minister said that the Games will only add greater impetus to the state’s commitment towards creating a strong sporting ecosystem.

READ: States have to independently decide on resumption of sports

“Haryana has done very well in the last few editions of the Khelo India Youth Games and many of our athletes are already training under the Khelo India Scheme. I am confident that the upcoming edition of the Games will be grand, and I welcome all of you to Khelo India Youth Games, Haryana. Panchkula is equipped with the best sporting infrastructure to host a multi-sport event like Khelo India Youth Games and there is enough lodging facilities for the large number of participants who are expected to attend,” Khattar said.

Like in the previous editions, this time too, Star Sports will be the Official Broadcast Partner of the Khelo India Youth Games.

Haryana has produced many elite athletes, - wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, para-athlete Deepa Malik, athlete Neeraj Chopra, Boxer Amit Panghal and shooters Sanjeev Rajput, Manu Bhakar, Anish Bhanwala - among others, who have represented and won medals for India at international levels.