Khelo India Water Sports Festival mascot released

Srinagar, Aug 14 (PTI) The mascot for the first ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF), which will be held at the iconic Dal Lake from August 21 to 23 featuring more than 400 athletes from all over the country, was unveiled here on Thursday.

The Himalayan Kingfisher will be the mascot for the festival which is a part of the Khelo India calendar. Before this, the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games were held in Diu in May this year.

"The Himalayan Kingfisher...embodies the spirit of adventure, nature, and competition in the Games. With its bold orange and blue, it represents energy, tranquillity, and the beauty of Kashmir," stated a press release from the Sports Authority of India.

The festival will be hosted by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India.

For Jammu and Kashmir, this will be the second Khelo India event after Gulmarg hosted the snow events of the Khelo India Winter Games in March.

The KIWSF will feature rowing, canoeing and kayaking as medal events.

The demonstration events will be water skiing, shikara race and dragon boat race.

More than 400 athletes from 36 states and Union Territories are expected in Srinagar.

J&K's Minister for Youth Services and Sports Satish Sharma, and the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, released the mascot and the logo.

The official kits of the Games were also revealed.

"Gulmarg has already become the winter games capital of the country, and now Dal Lake will become the water sports hub of the country," said Sadiq. PTI PM AM PM AM AM