MAHARASHTRA Government is organising Maharashtra Mini Olympic Games 2022-23 from January 2 to January 12. In the event, 39 games are included which will be played in nine districts of State.

Talking to the media during a press conference, Deputy Director of Sports Shekhar Patil said, “It is a moment of pride and pleasure for us that Maharashtra Mini Olympic Games are being organised after a long wait of 23 years. Nagpur district will be hosting four games out of the 39. Maharashtra is the first state in India which will be organising Mini Olympic Games. The tournament will witness participation of around 1,04,056 people including players, referees and coaches,” he said. Nagpur will be conducting four out of the 39 games which include badminton, handball, netball and sepak takraw. Badminton will start from January 2 while the other three games will begin on January 5. The event will conclude on January 8. Around 1000+ players from across Maharashtra are expected to be in Nagpur for the same.

“The event will be inaugurated on January 5 at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune at the hands of Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra Sports Minister Girish Mahajan will be the guests of honour. In this mega event 1074 gold, 1074 silver, 1074 bronze medals will be distributed. The Mini Olympic Games will be held under the aegis of Maharashtra Olympic Association and all the State-level associations,” Patil added.

Nagpur District Sports Officer Pallavi Dhatrak, Bhandara District Sports Officer Asha Meshram, Nagpur District Badminton Association Secretary Mangesh Kashikar, handball association’s Sunil Bhotmange, Shrikant Wad, Dr Lalit Jiwani, Vipin Kamgar, Yogesh Pande and other officials were present during the conference at the District Sports Office housed in Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur.