Bhubaneswar: Around 5,000 tribal athletes and 1,000 officials from 26 states have assembled here for the first Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav which kicked off at KIIT Deemed to be University with great enthusiasm on Friday.
The unique event, which promotes traditional sports and tribal culture, is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Odisha government.
The Khel Mahotsav will conclude on June 12.
The opening ceremony was graced by Odisha Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal, Union Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, Joint Secretary in Ministry of Culture Uma Nanduri and Founder of KIIT and KISS, Dr Achyuta Samanta.
This is an immensely significant event for KIIT as its sister organisation KISS provides free education to tribal children and has empowered countless tribal communities.
Bheema, the event mascot, was unveiled during the opening ceremony.
Besides thrilling sports, cultural activities will also be conducted during the course of the Mahotsav.
The Governor, addressing the audience and athletes, emphasised the divinity of sports and highlighted the role of sports and yoga in building bridges. He remarked that sports not only contributes to spiritual enlightenment but also provides peace of mind.
The Education minister said that the Narendra Modi government has paid substantial attention in promotion of sports, incorporating it into the curriculum under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, wherein students can earn credit points. He lauded the tribal communities for their remarkable presence in Indian sports, with 85 out of 100 athletes hailing from tribal background.