The Governor of Karnataka, TC Gehlot, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur and several dignitaries launched the logo, jersey, mascot and anthem of the Khelo India University Games 2021 (KIUG 2021) at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
The event, postponed due to the ongoing Covid crisis last year, will be the second edition of KIUG after Odisha hosted the Khelo India University Games in 2020. A Khelo India App for live updates on the Games was also launched by Karnataka, the host state on the occasion.
While Gehlot launched the logo and official mascot of the games – Veera, Thakur launched the official jersey of the games as well as the anthem, sung by Chandan Shetty and Nikhil Joshi. Minister of Sericulure, Youth Empowerment and Sports, Govt of Karnataka, Dr KC Narayana Gowda, Minister of Higher Education, Govt of Karnataka Dr Ashwathnarayan CN and other dignitaries were also present at the event.
Gehlot thanked the central government for selecting Karnataka for hosting the second phase of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG). He added that KIUG is a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream programme of Khelo India. He further highlighted how well the Indian athletes had performed at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and how KIUG will add to sporting prowess of the country. Gehlot appealed to the youth to participate with full enthusiasm in KIUG and also added that we should spread awareness regarding the sports.
Thakur also congratulated the state for declaring KIUG a Green Games. “KIUG Bengaluru as Green Games is a gamechanger because not only are you committed to promote sports, you are committed to protect the environment, more so at a time when our PM Narendra Modi ji is steering India towards a leadership role in environmental issues.”
As part of the Games being Green, it has been decided that everything used in the Games outside the field of play will be made of reusable material, moreover electric vehicles will be used for transportation and all waste will be segregated as wet and dry at the source in every venue. It will therefore be a zero-waste, zero-plastic Games.
