Dear Friends,
The spirit of Khel Mahakumbh lies in our collective will to make sports a mass movement where every individual has the opportunity to shine and experience the joys of playing without any hurdles whatsoever. During this year’s Khel Mahakumbh we enjoyed realizing this vision as much as we enjoyed the exemplary performance of some of our athletes! Among the media coverage and correspondence we received after the sports extravaganza, it was overwhelming to receive kind words from the Special Olympics Family acknowledging this true spirit of the Khel Mahakumbh.
The 2 letters from the Special Olympics Family of both India and the World not only lauded the success of Khel Mahakumbh 2011 but also thanked the Gujarat Government for bringing specially-abled athletes into the mainstream foray.This year, 60,000 specially-abled athletes invigorated the spirit of this sports extravaganza in as many as 15 different events. This is unprecedented both in India and the World! The Special Olympics Family noted that such an event would lead the way in their larger movement across all nations.
The spirit of Khel Mahakumbh was seen even in terms of its overall participation coupled with its geographic spread. It was heartening to see Khel Mahakumbh spreading its wings across the length and breadth of the state as 17 types of sporting events held across 1500 villages, talukas, districts and town of the state. A record 18.24-lakh sportspersons participated in the Khel Mahakumbh which included 6.92 lakh women sportspersons. A fresh record was created when 88 new records were set during this year’s edition of which women athletes set 42 of them!
Friends, I am sharing the 2 letters I received from the Special Olympics Family with a deep sense of gratitude for their kind words. Such encouraging words will further strengthen our commitment to make sports a mass movement that celebrates life!
Letter from the International Special Olympics Family
Letter from Special Olympics Family, India and Asia Pacific
