By Our Reporter
Shillong, Aug 29: The Department of Sports & Youth Affairs celebrated the National Sports Day at a programme held at the Tennis Court, JN Stadium Complex, Polo Grounds, in Shillong on Tuesday.
The programme marks the culmination of the week-long Pan – India sports event and engagement activities for people of all age groups from all walks of life, commemorating the birth anniversary of Hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand.
Sports & Youth Affairs Minister, Shakliar Warjri lauded the Deputy Commissioners of all the 12 districts for their active roles in overseeing the various sporting activities held throughout the week and in making the National Sports Day a success in the entire state.
The sports minister urged and encouraged the youth of the state to take up sports, not as a mere hobby rather as a pathway to build their careers.
Warjri also emphasized the government’s commitment to nurture and develop athletes who can compete in the national and international level and also stressed on the need for a mechanism which would enable better team work between the government, the sports associations as well as the athletes in reaching the goal set by the state, i.e. to send athletes of the state to represent the country in the 2032 Olympic Games.
During the programme the minister also launched the Meghafit programme; a programme meant to promote sport, a culture of healthy living and health conscious lifestyle in the state and to establish Meghalaya as one of the hubs of fitness.
During the day various sports persons were also felicitated with cash awards for their efforts in bringing laurels to the state and the country as a whole.
These include 1 athlete and 1 coach from the Meghalaya Archery Association, 18 athletes and 3 coaches from the Meghalaya Boxing Association, 18 athletes and 2 coaches from the Meghalaya Football Association, 84 athletes and 3 coaches from the All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association, 10 athletes and 3 coaches from the Meghalaya Judo Association, and 4 athletes and 1 coach from the Meghalaya Sports Climbing and Mountaineering Association.
Sports Persons in the Non Olympic Sports Discipline were also felicitated with cash awards: 4 athletes and 1 coach from the Meghalaya Wushu Association, 7 athletes and 1 coach from the Meghalaya Arm Wrestling Association, 37 athletes and 5 coaches from the Muay Thai Association of Meghalaya, and 30 athletes and 2 coaches from the Meghalaya Jeet Kune-Do Association.
The programme was followed by an exhibition football Match between the Officers FC and MLA FC at the MFA Turf, Polo Ground, Shillong in which Officers FC defeated MLA FC by 5-0 goals.