NEW DELHI, August 27: India has offered to host the BRICS games along with the “Khelo India” events next year, according to the union minister for youths and sports Kiren Rijiju.
BRICS is an acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Initially the primary four were grouped, as “BRIC” (or “the BRICs”) before the induction of South Africa in 2010.
The inaugural edition of the BRICS Games was, held in Guangzhou, China in 2017.
Rijiju said hosting the event in conjunction with “Khelo India” Games would the young Indian sportspersons to watch the players of the five major sporting nations closely and “act as a catalyst in motivating our players.”
The Minister was speaking during a virtual audio-visual conference between the Sports Ministers of the BRICS nations. “We’ll request the members of BRICS to showcase Indian traditional games during either the inaugural or valedictory ceremonies of Khelo India,” he added.
Rijiju said, “During India’s Chairmanship of the BRICS next year, Sports and Games are going to be one among the deliverables. Government of India organises annual sports competitions under the Khelo India scheme. As we discover ways to overcome the COVID pandemic, we are hopeful of organising Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games in 2021.”
He pointed out that “Fit India Movement” launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stress the importance of developing fitness and sporting culture in their daily lives. “One among the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for UN Agenda 2030 is to make sure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages,” he added.
(Venkatesh Iyer)