City’s sportspersons will be pride of India: Gadkari

 

 

 

“INVITING and felicitating gold medal winners of the Paris Paralympic Games will act as catalyst in encouraging city’s sportspersons to excel at bigger levels and with a platform being provided by Khasdar Krida Mahotsav (KKM), I am sure Nagpur players will soon make a mark at top level and will be pride of India,” said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The popular leader was addressing a jam-packed gathering of sports lovers at Kavivarya Suresh Bhat Sabhagruh, Reshimbagh on Wednesday evening. Maharashtra’s Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule was chief guest on the occasion.

 

Devendra Jhajjaria, President of Paralympic Committee was the guest of honour. Indian head coach of the Paris Paralympic Games contingent Satyanarayana, gold medallists Nitesh Kumar, Sumit Antil, Harvinder Singh, Dharambeer Nain, Praveen Kumar, Navdeep Singh and Avani Lekhara were felicitated on the occasion. Dates of the seventh edition of the grass-root level sports tournament were also declared. The mega event that will host 61 sports at 73 grounds wherein 80,000 players representing 2900 teams will vie for a whopping 1.5 cr prize money, will start on January 12 and conclude on February 2. MLAs Pravin Datke, Mohan Mate, KKM Convenor and ex-Mayor Sandip Joshi, BJP City President Bunty Kukde and Dr Piyush Ambulkar, Secretary, KKM Organising Committee shared the dais. Speaking on the occasion, Bawankule said that KKM is a big gift to Nagpur as well as the nation.

 

Joshi, who made introductory remarks, said this year too there will be insurance cover for all the players. Jhajjaria praised the Indian paralympic squad and said that the city famous for oranges would be known for sportspersons in future. While replying to the felicitation, Avani Lekhara asked the players to enjoy the sport and urged them not to worry about the results. RJ Amod conducted the proceedings while and Dr Ambulkar proposed a vote of thanks. KKM, Treasurer Ashish Mukim, Sudhir Diwe, Nagesh Sahare, Dr Padmakar Charmode, Dr Sambhaji Bhosale, Dr Vivek Awasare, Sachin Deshmukh, Ashfaque Shaikh, Amit Sampat, Satish Wade, Sachin Mathne, Sunil Manekar, Laxmikant Kirpane, Dr Saurabh Mohod, Ramesh Bhandari, Prakash Chandrayan, Navneet Singh Tuli and others were prominently present on the occasion.