Colourful start to Punjab Games
Our Sports Reporter
Ludhiana, February 14
The Ludhiana chapter of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Punjab Games 2016 for Boys and Girls got off to a colourful start at Guru Nanak Stadium here today.
Competition in four sports disciplines — football, basketball, cycling and handball will be held in the city. Six other centres are organising these games.
Punjab Agriculture Minister Tota Singh declared the games open. He took salute from participants during an impressive march past.
Addressing the players and officials, he urged upon them to say no to drugs so that the Punjabi youth could help their state to regain the lost glory in sports arena.
He promised all possible assistance to the sportspersons so that they could be prepared for national and international competitions. Cash prizes worth Rs 3 crore would be given to the position holders in these games, he said. He announced that the state government was committed to bring the state as a frontrunner on the sports map for which different sports programmes had been chalked out. He wished the participants good luck.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was an attractive giddha performed by girls. JK Jain, Additional Deputy Commissioner along with Sat Pal Singh, District Sports Officer, Ludhiana, and Sukhchain Singh Dhindsa, District Mandi Officer was among others present on the occasion. Meanwhile, preliminary round matches were played today in football, handball and basketball at Guru Nanak Stadium and cycling at PAU velodrome.
