Goa to host All India Rural Sports tournament from Nov 26

Panaji, Nov 23 (UNI) Goa is hosting the four-day 38th All India Rural Sports Tournament for boys and girls under 16 years at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, from November 26.

The tournament, being organised under the aegis of the Sports Authority of India, will be held in the disciplines of football (boys), volleyball (boys and girls), weight-lifting (boys and girls) and tug-of-war (boys).

The Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) Executive Director V M Prabhudesai, speaking to media here today, said about 1,500 participants including officials from the rural areas of the various states are expected to paticipate in the tournament.

The participants from Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Daman and Diu, Orissa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, Silvasa, Goa, Haryana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarkhand, Tripura, Bihar, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have confirmed their participation.

Mr Prabhudesai said it was SAI's scheme to hold the rural sports tournament with the objective of spotting the rural talent at a young age and train them systematically which is being done successfully over the years in Goa by SAG.

The total estimated expenditure for this tournament will be Rs 20 lakh. SAI will provide Rs 10 lakh to SAG and it has to manage an expediture of Rs 10 lakh. The event will also help the state in creating awareness about games and sports among the students and others living in rural areas of Goa, Mr Prabhudesai added.

UNI