Kila Raipur Rural Olympics from January 30, bullock cart race to resume after 11 years
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will attend the games
The Punjab government has announced to organise the Rural Olympics at Kila Raipur from January 30 to February 1. A major highlight will be the bullock cart race, which will take place on all three days of the event. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will also attend the games.
Villagers are elated as bullock cart races are to resume after 11 years, after the Supreme Court banned races citing cruelty.
Ludhiana DC Himanshu Jain announced this while accompanied by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Amarjit Bains, SDM (Ludhiana East) Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, and key members of the Kila Raipur Sports Society (Patti Suhavia), including President Colonel Surinder Singh Grewal and General Secretary Gurwinder Singh.
The Deputy Commissioner said that to ensure all rules are being followed for the conduct of bullock cart races, a high-powered committee has also been formed by the district administration.
This committee will ensure compliance with the instructions issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India and the Punjab Government from time to time, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act 1960, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2019.
He said for the third consecutive year, the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is organising the Rural Olympics at village Kila Raipur.
Jain, while releasing the poster of the famous Kila Raipur Rural Olympics-2026, said on the first day of the games, the schedule will include hockey match (boys’ open category), hockey match (girls’ open category), 1,500m (boys) final, 1,500m (girls) final, 400m boys’ heats/final, 400m girls’ heats/final, 60m race primary school boys, 60m race primary school girls, bullock cart races.
He said on January 31, there will be hockey match (boys open semi-final), hockey match (girls open semi-final), kabaddi circle style (boys), shot put (boys), shot put (girls), kabaddi circle style (girls), kabaddi national style under 17 (girls), 100 meter boys heats, 100 meter girls heats, bullock cart races (from 12 PM to 2 PM), long jump boys final, long jump girls final, 100 meter boys final, 100 meter girls final, tug of war boys and bullock cart races (from 4 PM).
He further informed that on February 1, kabaddi national style under-17 girls, bullock cart races (from 10 am), kabaddi circle style one village open (boys), shot put (boys) final, 200 meter boys heats final, 200 meter girls heats final, high jump boys final, shot put (girls) final, 800 meter boys final, 800 meter girls final, high jump girls final, 2,000 meter cycle race boys, 2,000 meter cycle race girls, 100 meter race men (65+ years), 100 meter race men (75+ years), 100 meter race men (80+ years), trolley loading unloading, tricycle race, bullock cart races (from 5 pm).
He said a famous Punjabi singer will also entertain the audience by giving performances during the three days of the games. The DC also urged the people to participate in large numbers to take the popularity of the games to new heights.
President of Kila Raipur Sports Society (Patti Suhavia) Colonel Surinder Singh Grewal thanked the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government, and the district administration of Ludhiana, and said people are very happy with the restarting of bullock cart races at Kila Raipur. He also assured that all the instructions issued by the Director Animal Husbandry, Punjab, and the District Administration, Ludhiana, during the bullock cart races will be taken care of completely. He said that members of the Kila Raipur Sports Society have also been included in this committee formed by the District Administration of Ludhiana regarding Bullock Cart races.
He appealed to the sports lovers globally to attend these games with enthusiasm and boost their spirits. He also appealed to the bullock cart unions of Majha, Doaba, and Malwa and said that they all must participate in the bullock cart races at Kila Raipur and follow the rules set by the government.
The entries for bullock cart races will be received only till 2 pm on January 29.
