HON. CHIEF MINISTER
We are assembled here today for the Declaration of the Dates of the 35 th National
Games and to officially start the Countdown towards the Opening of the Games.
This Ceremony is taking place in the majestic ambience of the Kerala Legislature
Assembly. This is an important milestone in the sporting history of Kerala. The presence
of the Union Minister for Sports Sri. Sarbananda Sonowal amidst us now, signifies the
continued goodwill and co-operation that the Government of India has been extending to
the sports development of the State and the 35th National Games in particular. The
importance that the Olympic fraternity in India attaches to this event is underscored by
the presence of Sri N Ramachandran, the President of the Indian Olympic Association
along with the Secretary General Sri Rajiv Mehta and senior officials of the IOA and the
Kerala Olympic Association.
As we prepare ourselves for hosting the 35th National Games, we fondly
remember that Kerala had hosted the National Games once earlier in 1987. The success
of the event had been widely acknowledged then. The 1987 National Games is a pleasant
and joyful memory to most of us present here who had witnessed and participated in the
same in some capacity. In the efforts that we are currently making, the experience gained
from the past has been guiding us.
We are also inspired by the stellar role played by Kerala athletes and players in
National and International Tournaments and competitions during the last four decades.
The sportspersons of Kerala have done Kerala and India proud by their significant
contributions in Athletics as well as in a large number of sports and games. Therefore the
people of Kerala are doubly happy to be bestowed with the honour of receiving the
entire community of sports persons in India on the occasion of the 35th National Games.
For the past few years the Government of Kerala has been taking vigorous action
to prepare ourselves for hosting the 35th National Games, which is going to be one of the
largest sporting events ever organised in the history of Indian sports. We are conscious of
the fact that the task that we have undertaken is truly gigantic. More than ten thousand
athletes and players will take part in the event. Several thousand team officials and
technical officials will gather to conduct the event. Thousands of media personnel from
all over India will assemble to cover the event. More than ten thousand persons will have
to toil for nearly a month as volunteers, organizers and staff to ensure continuous
support services to the players, team officials, media and technical officials.
We are also organising the event in a manner which has not so far been attempted
in the history of Multi Sports events at any time. The 36 disciplines in which the Games
are being held are spread across seven districts of Kerala, dispersed along a length of
more than 500kms. We have planned like this so that the entire people of Kerala, from
south to the north, can truly participate in this Games as spectators, supporters,
organizers, volunteers and well wishers. It will also take the message of world class
sportsmanship to every nook and corner of Kerala and motivate several thousands of our
youth to take part in sports seriously. Kerala will turn itself one big Sports City during the
Games.
For India to achieve greatness in sports, it is very necessary that large numbers of
children take part in different competitive sports and games. Large number of playing
fields with minimum facilities must be provided in every town and village, so that every
child can grow up learning and enjoying physical activity and sports. It is also necessary to
provide world class facilities for every sport in every state, so that the more brilliant
sportspersons get a chance to familiarize themselves with sports surfaces, equipments
and playing conditions which match international standards and specifications. Because
of this we are utilizing this opportunity to build up the sporting infrastructure of Kerala to
international standards, at least with regard to playing conditions and equipments. From
Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram we are creating new facilities and new stadia at more
than 20 places which will conform to international standards. This will be a great boon to
the sportspersons of Kerala. It will also benefit the future holding of various National and
International events and tournaments in different disciplines in different parts of Kerala
so that we get to see the best of the world in action, and compete with and learn from
them. Thus the holding of the 35th National Games will open up a great window of
opportunity for sporting glory for the people of Kerala and India.
As I stated earlier, my government has been giving topmost priority to the
development of sporting infrastructure. I gratefully acknowledge the fact that the Govt.
of India through the Planning Commission has released more than Rs 120 Crores to us in
support of our efforts for building superior infrastructure. Because of the great
importance that the Government and people of Kerala attach to sports, we have
additionally invested and committed several hundreds of crores of rupees in the projects
of the National Games.
The preparations that we have made for the National Games are getting finalized
at a fast pace. More than 90% of the total work on infrastructure that had to be
undertaken is over already. This was made possible by the Mission Mode approach that
the Government adopted towards achieving the completion of National Games projects. I
am confident that at the present pace of progress, all the infrastructure as well as the
Games Village in which 5000 sportspersons will stay as a community will be totally ready
by October this year. We are also happy that senior officials of the Olympic Association
like Shri. S.M. Bali, K. Murugan and Rakesh Gupta who visited us earlier this month
expressed satisfaction with the progress of works. We are extremely thankful to the
Indian Olympic Association for taking expeditious action both for sending the Team of
Officials and for taking immediate action for Declaring the Dates based on the
observations of the team.
National Games is an occasion during which the entire sports fraternity of India
will gather together at one place for promoting and celebrating sports. We are also
happy that so great a sporting personality as Bharat Ratna Shri. Sachin Tendulkar has
accepted my request to be the Goodwill Ambassador for this National Games. This is an
auspicious signal for the games. I am sure with the cooperation of the Govt. of India and
the personal stewardship of sports matters by Shri. Sarbananda Sonowal, the Govt. of
Kerala will be able to organise the National Games in the grandest and ablest manner
possible. We also count on the support of the Indian Olympic Association and our
partners Kerala Olympic Association. I am sure that under the leadership of Shri.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, our Minister for Sports, the Organising committee will be
able to make the 35th National Games a momentous success which will be greatly
relished by the sportspersons and spectators alike.
Finally I reiterate the commitment of the people of Kerala and the Govt. of Kerala
towards making this Games a huge success. On behalf of the people of Kerala, the Govt.
of Kerala and in my capacity as Chairman of the National Games Organising Committee I
assure Shri. Ramachandran, the President of the Indian Olympic Association, that we are
fully committed to the terms of the Host City Contract signed by my predecessor Shri.
V.S. Achuthanandan in 2008 and that we will spare no effort in making the Games a
Grand Success. With the assurance that the Government of Kerala will do everything in
its power to ensure the readiness and preparedness of the State to host the 35 th National
Games, I now request the President of the Indian Olympic Association, Shri N.
Ramachandran to declare the Dates of the Games.