PM Modi to be chief guest at Khelo India opening in Chennai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest for the opening ceremony of the sixth Khelo India Youth Games 2023 which will be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday around 6 pm.
This is the first time that the games are being held in South India.
The games will be organised across four cities in Tamil Nadu – Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, and Coimbatore – from January 19 to 31.
During the inaugural ceremony, Modi will also launch and lay the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 250 crore, related to broadcasting sector. This includes the launch of the revamped DD Podhigai channel as DD Tamil; 12 Akashvani FM projects in 8 states; and 4 DD transmitters in Jammu and Kashmir. In addition, the prime minister will lay the foundation stone for 26 new FM transmitter projects in 12 states.
A PIB release said the mascot for the games is Veera Mangai. Rani Velu Nachiyar, fondly called Veera Mangai, was a queen from Tamil Nadu who waged a war against British colonial rule. The mascot symbolises the valour and spirit of Indian women, embodying the strength of women power.
The logo for the games incorporates the figure of poet Thiruvalluvar.
Over 5,600 athletes will participate in the edition of Khelo India Youth Games, spread across 13 days at 15 venues with 26 sporting disciplines, 275 competitive events, and one demo sport.
Silambam, a traditional sport of the state, is being introduced as a demo sport for the first time in the history of Khelo India Youth Games.