Haldwani, Feb 14: The closing ceremony of the 38th National Games began here on Friday with home minister Amit Shah as its guest of honour asserting that the country is well on track to host a successful Olympics in 2036.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha declared the Games closed before handing over the flag to Conrad Sangma, chief minister of Meghalaya, the state that will host the next edition of the Games.
“I can say it today that India has a very bright future in sports. We are ready to host the Olympics in 2036,” Shah said in his address referring to India’s bid to host the Olympics in 2036 that is still in early stages.
Along with Shah, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya also joined the event to laud the athletes’ performances over the last two weeks.
To start with, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed Shah with a commemorative memento, a shawl and a bouquet of flowers.
“‘Dev Bhoomi’ has transformed into ‘Khel Bhoomi’ not just because of the National Games but also because of its athletes’ performance in the Games and Dhami ji’s relentless efforts towards hosting a successful Games,” Shah said at the Indira Gandhi International Sports Complex here.
“Thanks to their efforts, Uttarakhand has jumped from 21st position (in last Games) to seventh position (in the overall standings). I congratulate all the athletes who helped paved the way for ‘Dev Bhoomi’ to also become a ‘Khel Bhoomi’. My best wishes are with them.”
Shah added, “I have observed that some of the records made by athletes during the Games here are comparable to those in international tournaments.
Besides Shah, Mandaviya and Dhami, several other dignitaries are in attendance here, including Mandaviya, next host Meghalaya’s CM Kongkal Sangma, Uttarakhand’s Sports Minister Rekha Arya, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha, boxing legend MC Mary Kom, and Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang, among others.
“Uttarakhand has conveyed to the country that it is not just Devbhoomi but also a Khelbhoomi. The state ensured that no athlete faced any difficulty during the Games. It is the beginning of India becoming a sports hub,” said Mandaviya in his address
The venue has a capacity of 25,000 and was packed for the ceremony.
“It is the beginning of India coming inside the top 10 of Olympic performers by 2036. The country now has a sports ecosystem. It is moving forward in every aspect, including sports,” Mandaviya said.
Usha also conveyed a similar message in her address.
“The journey does not end here, it is only the beginning for Indian sports,” said Usha.
The ceremony will feature a ‘Games Recap’, highlighting the winning moments from start to the end of the sporting extravaganza that began seven venues on January 28 with state capital Dehradun being the main centre.
At the end of it, traditional powerhouse Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) topped the medal tally for the fifth time in the last six games, with a total haul of 121 medals (68 gold, 26 silver, 27 bronze).
Maharashtra won more medals than Services with 198 (54 gold, 71 silver, 73 bronze) but the lesser gold count meant that it ended at second spot.
Even Haryana got more medals than Services with 153 (48 gold, 47 silver, 58 bronze) but had to be content with a third-place finish.
Hosts Uttarakhand finished a creditable seventh with a total of 103 medals, including 24 gold, 35 silver and 44 bronze. (PTI)
