Ahmedabad, Friday: Chief Minister Narendra Modi today expressed his resolve to hoist Gujarat in the sports map of India in five years, competing with top athletes and breaking records.
Speaking at the grand finale of the statewide month-long Khel Mahakumbh here, he exuded confidence the Gujarat sportspersons would stand up to his expectation. He said the government has decided to retain a French company to set up Sports Village in the state to provide the necessary to create culture.
He distributed prizes worth Rs.40-crore to the winners, and congratulated every sportsperson for their participation in the sporting spirit. The mahakumbh had begun in Ahmedabad on 11-11-11.
In all, 18.24-lakh sportspersons, including 6.92-lakh sportswomen, took part in 17 different events held at 1,500 villages, talukas and district towns this year, surpassing last year’s participation by 14-lakh athletes. They broke 88 records, 42 by sportswomen this year.
It was for the first time that a special Olympic for 58,305 physically challenged took part in 15 events and 5,429 ‘sagarkehdus’ (communities living in coastal regions) in beach sports.
Impressed by the athletes’ enthusiasm and performance, Sports Minister Fakirbhai Vaghela also expressed the hope of Gujarat setting new national records in near future.
