Week-long 68th National School Games begin today

The arrival of most contingents by evening has set the ball rolling for the 68th National School Games slated to begin here tomorrow.

Competition in these week-long (December 11 to 17) games would be held in four disciplines — judo, karate, handball and netball.

These games are being organised by the Department of School Education, Punjab, under the aegis of the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) at three venues — Punjab Agricultural University, Multipurpose Indoor Hall, near Guru Nanak Stadium, and BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar, — in Ludhiana.

Dimple Madaan, District Education Officer (Secondary), along with Ajitpal Singh, head technical committee and other officials of the organising committee, inspected arrangements, made for visiting teams including players and officials. Various committees and sub-committees have been constituted to conduct the games smoothly.

“Arrangements (help desks) have been made at the local bus stand and railway station to receive visiting teams which are picked up and ferried to their respective designated places of stay,” the DEO said.

Around 3,500 visitors (players and officials) from 25 states, three union territories and nine organisations will be here for this mega sports event. The lodging arrangements have been made at 41 government schools across the city.

Meanwhile, players of different states and union territories attended practice session at the Government Senior Secondary Smart School ground, PAU, where they sweat it out prior to their participation in games. The games would commence on Wednesday at Guru Nanak Stadium at 11.30 am.