HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 27: The curtain of the seven day Assam Youth Olympic held in Guwahati across 12 venues was put down on Wednesday, with chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma saying that the Assam Youth Olympic Games has become successful in providing a potential platform to the young athletes from grass root level to identify and groom future medallists.
Speaking at the closing ceremony which was also attended by Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra here, chief minister Sarma said that the Assam Youth Olympic held for the first time in the state has become a powerful podium for the athletes from 35 districts of the state to show their sporting acumen and prepare themselves for the national and international events. He also said that the venues of the sports event also turned out to be miniature Assam where athletes, support staff and other officials belonging to different socio-cultural communities assembled.
He also congratulated all the medal winners as well as the participants in the event. He thanked Assam Olympic Association for organising this event which is using sports as a means for unifying the people and society.
He also said the Sports Policy of Assam will be made more attractive and accommodative for the promotion of sports and sports personnel in the state. The chief minister said the MP Sports Competition should be organised in the state to unearth sports talents in the state.
The chief minister further said that as a government’s gesture for the promotion of sports, posts will be reserved in all government jobs for sports personnel and all the 126 stadia being built across 126 constituencies in Assam will also be working as training centres to promote area specific games in Assam.
He also released ‘Sports Jyotishpur’, a souvenir on this occasion and presented awards to the best athletes both male and female as well as best performing teams on the occasion.
CM Sarma also called upon everybody in the state to participate in Har Ghar Tiranga and hoist the National Flag in their respective houses.
Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal also spoke on the occasion.
Revenue minister Jogen Mohan, MLAs Rupjyoti Kurmi and Hemanga Thakuria, general secretary Assam Olympic Association Lakhya Konwar, Mayor GMC Mrigen Sarania, Arjuna awardees Monalisa Baruah Mehta and Kamalesh Mehta, athletes Allen Deuri, Ankushita Bodo and hosts of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
