PM to introduce Khelo India Youth Games 2024

a summary of the most important stories, stories that are suggested for you to read, and a unique selection of news items you should not miss.At the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to officially open the Khelo India Youth Games 2024. The two-week-long sporting event will take place from January 19 to January 31. In 26 sports, more than 5,500 competitors will compete at the event. Chennai is under a five-tier security protection, with 22,000 people deployed and a drone no-fly zone to ensure security for PM Modi's visit.At the inaugural event, projects worth ₹250 crore in the broadcasting sector will also be introduced. Competitors will compete in a number of events, including as Silambam, a traditional sport from Tamil Nadu that is being offered as a demo for the first time.In a special TADA court in Jammu, a retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer who was a key eyewitness to the 1990 killing of four IAF men named JKLF head Yasin Malik as the primary gunman. On January 25, 1990, an attack occurred in Rawalpora, on the outskirts of Srinagar, leaving 40 people injured, including squadron leader Ravi Khanna. In court, the retired officer—who had been shot four times—identified Malik. The next hearing is set for February 15 and 16, and this development is critical for the prosecution. Malik will be put on trial twice in this case.More than 5,600 athletes will compete in the event, which is being held in a south Indian state for the first time. From January 19 to January 31, the matches will take place in four Tamil Nadu cities: Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, and Coimbatore. There will be a combination of traditional and mainstream sports in 26 different sporting categories during the games.Alongside the prime minister were luminaries such as Chief Minister M K Stalin, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, Union Ministers of State L Murugan, Nisith Pramanik, and Minister for Sports Development and Youth Welfare of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin.At the opening of the Khelo India Youth Games, Olympians Sharath Kamal and V Subha gave Modi the torch for the game, which he set on the cauldron. Additionally, he laid the groundwork for projects worth roughly Rs 250 crore that are connected to the broadcasting industry.Speaking to the assembly, Modi wished all of the athletes who were traveling from all over the nation to Tamil Nadu's capital, saying, "The youth games are a great start to 2024 for Indian sports." He continued, "Together you are showcasing the true spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat." The sportsmen would feel at home in Tamil Nadu because of its great language, people, culture, and cuisine. He predicted that Tamil Nadu's hospitality would win over hearts and that the Khelo India Youth Games would give them a chance to show off their abilities and form lifelong friendships.In a statement, the Prime Minister's office stated that a greater awareness of sports is driving growth in broadcasting, sports products, sports tourism, and the sports apparel industry, with an estimated one lakh crore growth in India's sports sector. According to Modi, Thiruvalluvar offered the youth direction and inspiration.

He also praised Veera Mangai Velu Nachiyar, the mascot of this year's games and an Indian queen who fought against British colonial control. He referred to Nachiyar as a representation of female strength and stated that the selection of a real-life celebrity as the team mascot is a first."The government is always striving to empower sportswomen, thanks to her inspiration," he declared. "We are working diligently to host the Youth Olympics in 2029 and the Olympics Games in 2036 in India," Modi added, highlighting the government's commitment to giving indigenous talent international exposure and positioning the nation as a key hub of the global sports ecosystem. Speaking at the function, Stalin stated that his government's goal of making Tamil Nadu the nation's sports center is comparable to that of turning the state into a "One Trillion Dollar Economy."Stalin stated Tamil Nadu is working on a mission to elevate the sports infrastructure to international standards and listed the national and international events organized by the state government since he took office as Chief Minister. He also addressed the Kalaignar Centenary Jallikattu Arena, a large sports complex that the state government constructed at an expense of Rs 62 crore to host Jallikattu tournaments. On January 24, he will officially open the arena. Stalin said, "It's a great pride for the people of the state to see the saint poet Thiruvalluvar's logo feature on the Khelo India Youth Games," referring to the state's traditional sport of silambam, which is being featured as a demo sport for the first time in the competition's history.