State govt committed to boosting sports, says Education Minister

Education Minister Rohit Thakur attended the closing ceremony of the 66th State Level Under-19 Girls Sports Competition at PM SHRI Government Excellence Senior Secondary School, Chopal, as the chief guest. He said the state government is continuously striving to promote sports by providing necessary resources and facilities to help youth progress.

Addressing teams from across the state, the minister emphasised that sports foster not only physical development but also discipline, team spirit, and self-confidence. “The state government is making every effort to strengthen education, which has helped us rise from 21st to 5th position in the NAS report,” he added.

Thakur congratulated the winning and runner-up teams and honoured outstanding players for their exceptional performances.

A total of 583 girl students from all 12 districts, as well as sports hostels in Jubbal, Bilaspur and Dharamshala, participated. Five sports featured in the event: volleyball, kabaddi, kho kho, kurash and thoda. Following the competition, 107 girls were selected for the national level, including 56 from the Under-19 category and 51 from Under-17.