Marking a first in India's Khelo India programme, the Khelo India Para Games will be held in Delhi in December 2023, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announced on Wednesday. The Games will be held across eight days from December 10-17 and will be hosted across three Stadiums in the national capital.
"I am proud to announce that from December 10 to 17, the first-ever Khelo India Para Games will be held in various locations across New Delhi. A total of 7 disciplines will be held across three SAI (Sports Authority of India) Stadiums," Thakur said in a video posted on his official X account on Wednesday.
There will be 1350 athletes coming from 32 states and Union Territories fighting in seven disciplines. These disciplines are para athletics, para shooting, para archery, para football, para-badminton, para table tennis, and para weightlifting. Notably, the Games will be held in three Stadiums - the IG Stadium, Shooting Range in Tughlaqabad and the JLN Stadium.
What is the Khelo India Games?
The Khelo India Games is an initiative proposed by the Indian government, in 2017. According to the official website, "The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establish India as a great sporting nation."
The Games are being held since 2018. A total of 5 Khelo India Youth Games, 3 Khelo India University Games, and 3 Khelo India Winter Games have been held till now.
PM Modi praises para archery team for tremendous campaign at Asian Para Archery Championships
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaped praise on the Indian para archery team for their 'historic triumph' at the Asian Para Archery Championships. "The contingent shines bright with their best-ever performance at the Championships with a total of 9 Medals, including 4 Gold Medals as well. Compliments to each and every athlete for their contribution. May they keep making us proud always," he said on X.
"A historic triumph at Para Asian Archery Championships in Bangkok! Congratulations to the phenomenal Indian Para Archery team for their splendid performance, etching their names in the history books," he said.