Udupi: The second edition of ‘Hombelaku’, a sports and cultural festival for elected representatives and staff of gram panchayats, will be held on February 22 at the Sahyadri College campus in Adyar, organized by the Grama Swaraj Prathishtana. The event’s invitation was unveiled on Tuesday at Hotel Karthik Hall in Udupi.
Manjunath Bhandary, Legislative Council member, shared that the success of last year’s event inspired Minister Priyank Kharge to propose extending this initiative to all districts. He highlighted that MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has been hosting such events for Udupi district’s representatives for the past seven to eight years, and there has been a growing demand for similar programs from Dakshina Kannada’s local representatives. Approximately 6,000 people participated in last year’s event.
The event will see participation from 355 gram panchayats across the region, with over 6,000 members and 2,500 employees. Around 200 participants will march in a colorful parade featuring themes like ‘My Dream India’, ‘Grama Swarajya’, and coastal folk traditions. Winners of the parade will receive cash prizes of ₹50,000 and ₹25,000, with consolation prizes for each taluk. Additionally, awards will be given to gram panchayats excelling in implementing MGNREGS in each taluk.
Key political figures including Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Minister Priyank Kharge, and Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Thangadagi have confirmed their participation. The festival will feature competitions in volleyball, sack races, tug of war, and more, along with T-shirts and food arrangements for participants.
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