Khatima: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the closing and prize distribution ceremony of the Late Manish Chand Memorial Second Rural Cricket Tournament-2026 held in Biria Majhola.
On this occasion, he presented awards to the players of the winning and runner-up teams and encouraged them.
The Chief Minister said that sports are no longer just a means of entertainment, but there are immense career opportunities in it. Players should set goals and move forward with discipline and dedication. During this, he also tried his hand at cricket.
Before the ceremony, Chief Minister Dhami paid floral tributes to the picture of Late Manish Chand. He said that the Indian Under-19 cricket team has made the country proud by winning the World Cup on Friday, and the entire team deserves congratulations. He said that players who move forward with a goal and determination are bound to achieve success.
The Chief Minister said that sports keep the body and mind healthy and also develop discipline, team spirit, and leadership qualities. He urged the players to play with team spirit.
CM Dhami said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, schemes like Khelo India and Fit India have strengthened the sports infrastructure, as a result of which Indian players are excelling in every sport today. The Prime Minister himself meets with the players and encourages them.
He said that the players of Uttarakhand have brought glory to the state by winning 103 medals in the National Games. Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is now also making a name for itself as a land of sports.
A total of 16 teams participated in the tournament. The final match was played between Nagra Tarai and Ucholi Goth Tanakpur, in which Nagra Tarai set a target of 108 runs. In reply, Ucholi Goth achieved the target and won by three wickets.
During this time, District Panchayat President Ajay Maurya, Mayor Vikas Sharma, Municipal Council President Ramesh Chandra Joshi, Minister of State Anil Kapoor Dabbu, Harikesh Chand (mother of late Manish Chand), District Panchayat member Rita Kafaliya, Bhaskar Sambhal, Block Panchayat members Mandeep Rana, Prem Prakash, Tej Singh Mahar, village heads Bhagirathi Rana, Deepak Aeri, Chandrakala, Maya Joshi, Ganesh Singh Mahar, Geeta Jyala, MP representative Ravindra Rana, former Mandi President Nandan Singh Kharayat, Amit Pandey, along with District Magistrate Nitin Singh Bhadauria, Senior Superintendent of Police Manikant Mishra, Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar, Additional District Magistrate Kaustubh Mishra, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Tushar Saini, CO BS Dhoni and other officers and public representatives were present.
