Guwahati: Union Minister and President of the Assam Olympic Association (AOA) Sarbananda Sonowal has conveyed his heartfelt wishes to the Assam contingent set to participate in the forthcoming North East Games.
Expressing optimism, Minister Sonowal voiced his hopes for Assam to clinch a record number of medals and emerge as champions in the sporting event.
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Minister Sonowal commended the achievements of the Assam athletes at the Goa National Games last year, where they secured a total of 56 medals.
He emphasised the significance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives such as the Khelo India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in nurturing sports talent across the country.
Minister Sonowal highlighted the Central government’s decision to offer job opportunities to medal-winning athletes under the Khelo India programme, alongside the proactive measures taken by the Assam government to support sportspersons through employment opportunities.
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The Assam contingent, comprising 370 members competing across 15 disciplines, is gearing up for the third edition of the North East Games scheduled to take place in Nagaland from March 18 to March 23 this year.
Notably, approximately 2,500 athletes from eight states- Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Sikkim, will be vying for top honours in the third edition of the North East Games, being organised by the Nagaland Olympic Association in collaboration with the Nagaland government.
In the previous edition of the games held in Meghalaya, Assam secured the second position with an impressive haul of 203 medals, including 79 gold, 61 silver, and 63 bronze.
In anticipation of a stellar performance this time around, Secretary of the AOA Lakhya Konwar exuded confidence in Assam’s enhanced showing.
Konwar highlighted the various initiatives undertaken by the Assam government, including the establishment of stadiums in every block of the state, air travel provisions for the athletes, and employment opportunities for junior players, thereby cementing Assam’s position as a model state in sports development.
With the North East Games all set to get started, the Assam contingent stands poised to showcase their prowess and bring glory to the state.