Panwar lauds Haryana Olympic Association

Haryana Minister for Development and Panchayats Krishan Lal Panwar has said the Haryana Olympic Association is providing a platform to the state’s sportspersons to etch their names at national and international levels.

The minister was speaking at the closing ceremony of a state-level kabaddi competition organised by the Haryana Olympic Association in Kurukshetra on Wednesday.

Panwar said players from across the state showcased their talent at the games, organised on the sacred land of Kurukshetra.

“Players who performed commendably in these games achieved victory, and those who lost need to work harder to move forward. This is a celebration of the hard work and talent of the youth of Haryana. The festival, which started on November 2 in Gurugram by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini with the theme ‘From Soil to Medal’, is beginning a new chapter in the sports history of Haryana,” he added.

In the men’s category, the Sonepat team secured first place, Bhiwani second, while the Kaithal and Rohtak jointly secured the third position.

In the women’s category, the Jind team secured first place, Charkhi Dadri second, while the Hisar and Bhiwani teams jointly secured the third spot.

Panwar honoured the winning teams with medals and trophies. He said the soil of Haryana was very special.

A number of athletes from Haryana had brought glory to India on every platform, from the Olympics and Asian Games to the Commonwealth Games and other international competitions, he added, saying the world was now seeing India as an emerging sports power, and Haryana had played a crucial role in this.

The minister said, after a gap of 13 years, the 27th Haryana State Games were being organised by the Olympics association. In these competitions, more than 6,000 athletes were showcasing their talent, hard work, and dedication in 24 different sports. The games will continue till November 8.

The state government had been focusing on strengthening the sports infrastructure and providing all facilities to players, he said, adding that sports policy of the state had been showing positive and encouraging results.