VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday declared open the 47-day sports festival, Aadudam Andhra, which would be held across the state till February 10 next year.
The chief minister handed over the Aadudam Andhra torch to the players, who then took a round of the Loyola Public School ground -- the venue of the event -- amid cheers from the spectators. After releasing balloons into the air, he administered the oath to players and handed them over the sports kits.
Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government would organise Aadudam Andhra with two objectives in mind. The first is that it would serve as a massive fitness exercise for the youth and help them maintain good physical fitness. Secondly, it would help the government identify talented youths so as to encourage them.
“Throughout the festival which would be held in more than 9000 schools, colleges, universities and SAAP (Sports Authority of AP) playgrounds, an awareness campaign would be launched on the necessity of physical exercises that could help control blood pressure and sugar levels. The event would be held in December every year,” the CM said.
“The sports competitions would be held at the village, mandal, district, constituency and state levels. Players from professional teams like Chennai Super Kings and Andhra Cricket Association have come forward to witness the cricket matches, identify the talented youths and train and encourage them further.”
Jagan Reddy said that, similarly, international players Kidambi Srikant and PV Sindhu have come forward to help identify talented youths in badminton while Prime Volleyball and Pro Kabaddi would spot the talented youths in the respective areas. Soon, Kidambi Srikant and PV Sindhu would also launch their badminton academies for training youths in Visakhapatnam and Tirupati. The Government has allotted necessary land for this purpose in both places.
The chief minister said talented AP youths would be encouraged at the national and international levels.
Some 34 lakh youths have come forward with offers to participate in the sports events while more than 1.20 crore people have registered to attend the events and watch the sports festival across the state, the CM stated.
Sports minister RK Roja, health minister Vidadala Rajini, social welfare minister Meruga Nagarjuna, water resources minister Ambati Rambabu, MPs Nandigam Suresh and Alla Ayodhyarami Reddy, MLCs Lella Appi Reddy, Talasila Raghuram, Marri Rajaskehar, M Hanumantha Rao, KS Lakshmana Rao and Kalapalatha Reddy, MLAs Mekthoti Sucharita, Kilaru Venkata Rosaiah, Md Mustafa and Maddali Giridhar, SAAP chairman B Siddharth Reddy and others addressed the event.
