Opening ceremony of 38th National Games gets underway

Dehradun: The opening ceremony of the 38th National Games got underway here on Tuesday to mark the start of the country's premier multi-sporting showpiece in which around 10,000 athletes will be vying for podium finishes across 32 disciplines.

The Games will run till February 14 with events held across seven cities of the hill state with Dehradun being the main venue. Around 450 gold medals, and similar number of silver and bronze medals are at stake.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Games while thousands of spectators packed the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium despite the chilly weather to catch the colourful ceremony live.

The PM had also opened the last two editions of the Games in 2022 (Gujarat) and 2023 (Goa).

Hosting the National Game holds a special significance for Uttarakhand as the state is celebrating the 25th year of its creation.

'Mauli', inspired by Uttarakhand's state bird 'Monal', is the Games mascot, symbolising the region's unique natural beauty, diversity and cultural heritage.

Most of the established sporting stars of the country such as javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, shuttler PV Sindhu, shooter Manu Bhaker are giving it a miss, leaving the stage for other athletes to make a mark.

Among the prominent names who will turn up are Olympic medal-winning shooters Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, world championships medallist shuttler Lakshya Sen and Tokyo Games bronze-winning boxer Lovlina Borgahain.

Four sports -- kalarippayattu, yogasana, mallakhambh and rafting -- will be demonstration (non-medal) sports.

With the theme of 'Green Games', the event aims to inspire individuals and organizations to adopt eco-friendly and sustainable practices.