Dehradun: Ahead of the Assembly elections, the Uttarakhand government has set a target of connecting more than 200,000 young people across the state with sports. Preparations are underway to organize Khel Mahakumbh on a large scale this year. The Department of Sports and Youth Welfare is focusing on registering young people across the state. The government aims to engage youth in positive activities through sports while also bringing forward hidden sporting talent from rural and remote areas.
Under Khel Mahakumbh, competitions will begin at the village level. Participants will then have the opportunity to advance to the Nyaya Panchayat, development block, tehsil and district levels. Athletes who perform well will get a chance to showcase their talent at the state level. The process will also focus on identifying players who have so far been unable to reach major platforms due to a lack of resources.
According to Sports and Youth Welfare Department Director Deepti Singh, preparations for Khel Mahakumbh have been completed. Necessary directions have been issued to concerned officials to ensure the success of the event. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will inaugurate Khel Mahakumbh from Tanakpur on September 1. Following the inauguration, various sports competitions will be organized at different levels across the state for one month.
Khel Mahakumbh will be held from September 1 to September 30. During this period, different sports competitions will be organized from the village level through Nyaya Panchayat, development block, tehsil and district levels. The government is seeking to encourage greater youth participation this year compared with previous editions. A large-scale registration campaign is being conducted for this purpose, and concerned departments and officials have been given targets to increase youth participation.
The government believes that Khel Mahakumbh is not limited merely to sports competitions; it will also provide an opportunity to identify new sporting talent in the state and help them progress. Organizing competitions in rural areas is expected to provide local athletes with a platform to showcase their abilities.
Amid recent discontent expressed over various issues, including employment, and large-scale youth-led movements, the government’s campaign is also being viewed as significant from both political and social perspectives. In this context, the government’s effort to connect a large number of young people through Khel Mahakumbh is likely to remain under close observation.
