Amidst the downpour, World Badminton Champion P.V. Sindhu inaugurated the four-day State-level Dasara Sports Meet, the Chief Minister’s Cup-2019, at Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Nazarbad here yesterday, in the presence of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and other dignitaries.

The Meet is organised by Dasara Sports Sub-Committee in association with the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports and Karnataka Sports Authority.

The inauguration was followed by a march-past in which sports persons from Mysuru, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and students of Mysuru Sports Hostel took part.

Chief Minister Yediyurappa and P.V. Sindhu received the guard of honour.

Thereafter Yediyurappa unveiled the Meet Flag, when Zonal Team Captains — Aravind Malagi, Mamatha Keloji, N. Kiran, Ujwal Naidu and Chaitra Devadiga — handed over the Kereeda Jothi (Sports Torch) to the Chief Minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Yediyurappa said that sports persons must emulate World Badminton Champion P.V. Sindhu in achieving success.

Maintaining that Sindhu is a model to budding sports persons, the CM wished Sindhu for winning the Gold Medal in the 2020 Olympics.

Noting that even the Rain Gods seemed to have blessed Sindhu for winning Gold Medal in Olympics, Yediyurappa said that Dasara is an emotional event for crores of Kannadigas, with the Festival being celebrated as Nada Habba.

Rains began to pour when Sindhu began her speech.

Beginning her address in Kannada by saying Yellarigu Namaskara? Hegiddeeri?, Sindhu said that this was her first visit to Mysuru and Mysuru very much deserved the cleanest city tag. Thanking her parents for the support extended to her, she called upon the parents to encourage their wards to take part in sports.

She further said that relentless practice was key for achieving excellence in sports.

Even as Sindhu appeared on the stage, some sports persons who were part of the march-past, rushed to the stage to take selfies with her. Some other sports persons took selfies with her after the rain stopped.