Bengaluru is set to become a “sports city” with plans to develop a 60-acre sports facility in Devanahalli, announced Home Minister G. Parameshwara during National Sports Day celebrations at Kanteerava Stadium. The event commemorated the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand and highlighted the role of sports in national development.
Parameshwara expressed concerns over the declining interest in sports as a career among youth, despite Indian athletes being well-equipped. He compared India’s performance to smaller countries like those in Africa that win Olympic medals with fewer resources. The minister emphasized the need to engage more youth in sports as a way to combat drug addiction and alcoholism. He also highlighted improvements in sports infrastructure, noting that Kanteerava Stadium now has a synthetic track and 18 districts in Karnataka have synthetic track sports complexes. Parameshwara mentioned the Centre’s efforts to bring the 2036 Olympics to India.
State athletes who represented India at the Paris Olympics were honored at the event. Other attendees included MLC K. Govindaraju, the Chief Minister’s political secretary, and president of FIBA Asia and the Karnataka Olympic Association.
Meanwhile, physical education teachers staged a dharna at Freedom Park, protesting delays in implementing their benefits and seeking fair treatment and timely promotions.
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