38th National Games in Dehradun from January 28

 

 Sports Reporter RAIPUR

Chhattisgarh is eying for a good performance with a massive contingent of 287 members representing the state in the 38th National Games set to commence in Dehradun, Uttarakhand from January 28. Apart from 254 athletes, the contingent will be accompanied by 38 coaches and 20 managers, with Sahiram Jakhar serving as the Chief de Mission and Prashant Singh Raghuvanshi as the Deputy Chief de Mission. Unable to attend the kit distribution programme due to model code of conduct in force, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai who is the President of COA and Sports Minister Tankram Verma extended their best wishes.

 

Ahead of leaving for the national games, Chhattisgarh Olympic Association (COA) distributed sports kits to all participating athletes during a simple ceremony held on Saturday. General Secretary of COA Dr Vikram Singh Sisodia, and the event’s chief guest, handed over the kits and addressed the players. He said that best possible support was provided during their preparation for the prestigious competition and extended his best wishes for their success. He said, “Chhattisgarh players are expected to set new record clinching highest medals in the national games at Dehradun”. Vice-President of COA Kailash Murarka, R K Shrivastava, Joint Secretary Sahiram jakhar, Md Akram Khan, Prashant Singh Raghuvanshi, R Rajendra and others were present on the occasion. Despite a preparation period of only two months, the COA worked tirelessly to ensure that the players received top-notch training. The 287-member contingent is the largest ever to represent Chhattisgarh in the National Games, reflecting the state’s growing focus on sports development. The team is determined to surpass all previous records, aiming for a historic medal tally. In the 37th National Games held in Goa, 254 players represented Chhattisgarh in 26 sports events, securing 20 medals. Similarly, in the 36th edition in Gujarat, a 173-member team participated in 18 disciplines and won 13 medals. With its largest contingent to date, Chhattisgarh is hopeful of achieving its best-ever performance in the 38th National Games.