Nearly 10,000 staff likely to take part in sports and cultural events

Mysuru: The three-day State-level sports and cultural meet for State Government employees formally began with the registration of teams from all the districts at Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Nazarbad here this morning.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is expected to officially inaugurate the meet at 4 pm this evening, with former CM Siddharamaiah scheduled to hoist the flag. District Minister G.T. Devegowda will receive the Guard of Honour from the participants, while Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister Rahim Khan will administer the oath to the participants. Deputy CM Dr. G. Parameshwara will release a souvenir marking the occasion while Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar will hand over the ‘Kreeda Jyothi’.

Mysuru is hosting this State-level event for the third time. The city had earlier hosted the event in 1996 and 2009.

The three-day meet will see the participation of nearly 10,000 sportspersons  and artistes from among Government employees, both men and women.

The sports events has 28 different disciplines which include Athletics, Ball Badminton, Basket Ball, Chess, Carrom, Hockey, Kabaddi, Swimming, Tennikoit, Table Tennis, Throwball, Volleyball, Power Lifting, Weight Lifting, Wrestling, Bridge, Cricket, Tennis, Football, Shuttle Badminton etc.

Barring Cricket, Football, Tennis and Shuttle Badminton, all other sports events will be held at Chamundi Vihar Stadium.

Cricket matches will be played at SJCE Grounds, Sports Pavilion (University of Mysore), Coffee Board Grounds and MIT College Grounds while Football matches will be played at UoM Sports Pavilion.

Lawn Tennis matches will be played at Mysore Tennis Club, Chamarajapuram, while Shuttle Badminton  will be played at ARC Sports Zone, Hebbal.

The cultural events include Classical, Hindustani, Light Music, Percussion Instruments etc., dance contests in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Manipuri etc.

All the cultural events will take place at Police Bhavan on Lalitha Mahal Road and Kalamandira on Hunsur Road.

The events will be held under two categories — below & above 45 years for men and below & above 40 years for women.

The participants are lodged in Kalyana Mantaps, community halls and other places in city.

Nodal Officers (BEO or Tahsildar) have been asked to oversee the boarding and lodging arrangements of participants.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar and State Government Employees Association President H.K. Ramu reviewed the preparations at the Stadium. The event concludes on Jan. 30.

The district administration has set up 30 counters at Stadium entrance for team registration.