National Mallakhamb meet for boys and girls in Goa from Nov 26

Panaji, Nov 24 (UNI) Defending champions Maharashtra, runners-up Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are among the twenty teams which will be vying for top honours in the Silver Jubilee National Mallakhamb Championship to be held from November 26 to 28 at Mardol in south Goa.

Goa Mallakhamb Association (GMA) president Sudhin Dhavlikar, speaking to to mediapersons here today, said about 750 participants and 40 officials from 20 states are expected to participate in the three-day event to be held for boys under 12, 14 and 18 and girls under 12, 14, 16, and above 16.

He said Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu&Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, host Goa, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Pondicherry, Orissa, Manipur, All India Police team and Maratha Light Infantry, Belgaum, had already confirmed their participation.

Mr Dhavlikar said, ''We are planning to introduce Mallakhamb in every school in Goa by 2010. At present, the Association has introduced it in ten schools and the response has been good.'' GMA secretary N V Kurade said five observers -- one each from Switzerland, Scotland, USA, Germany and England -- have been invited for the event.

UNI