AP to host mega sports event

Vijayawada(NTR District): The AP is ready to host a mega national level sports event after a long time in the State. National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) gave their nod for conducting 3rd National Eklavya Model Residential Sports (EMRS) meet in Andhra Pradesh. The Sports meet will be conducted from December 17 to 22 in Vijayawada and Guntur. A total of 5,461 sportspersons from across the country will participate in this massive event. So far, 24 States including AP, have confirmed for sending their contingents to this sports meet, and the participants' numbers are expected to cross 6,000 after confirming the details of the remaining States.

This EMRS sports meet will be carried out in six stadiums/grounds in both Vijayawada and Guntur cities such as Acharya Nagarjuna University-Guntur, IGMC Stadium-Vijayawada, Andhra Loyola College-Vijayawada, BR Stadium-Guntur, DRR Stadium and VMC Swimming pool in Vijayawada.

The sport meet will be conducted in Under-14 and Under-19 categories in individual and semi teams category. A total of 631 boys and 638 girls will participate in under-14 individual category. And the remaining participants will participate in team games in under-19 category. A total of 180 teams; 93 teams of boys and 87 teams from girls in under 19 categories will participate in team events/games Basketball, Football, Handball, Hockey, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Volleyball.

Likewise, in individual sports, 42 players will participate in Archery, 78 in Athletics, 68 in Badminton, 39 in Boxing, 66 in Chess, 20 in Gymnastics, 29 in Judo, 21 in Tennis, 26 in Shooting, 37 in Swimming, 52 in TT, 39 in Taekwondo, 18 in Weightlifting, 30 in Wrestling and 63 persons will participate in yoga event.

473 players from Andhra Pradesh will participate in this mega event. While 61 players belong to Arunachal Pradesh, 487 players are from Chhattisgarh, 124 from Dadra Nagar Haveli, 238 from Gujarat,186 from Himachal Pradesh and 212 from Jharkhand will participate in this event.

222 players from Karnataka, 134 players from Kerala, 487 from Madhya Pradesh, 487 from Maharashtra, 114 from Manipur, 288 from Mizoram, 151 from Rajasthan, 87 from Sikkim, 308 from Tamil Nadu, 487 from Telangana, 96 from Uttar Pradesh and 152 participants from Uttarakhand will participate in this EMRS sports meet.

On the other hand, the AP government is making elaborate arrangements for the success of the event. APTWREIS and AP Tribal Welfare departments are involved in making arrangements. Higher education Department has already given orders to take permission to declare holidays to Acharya Nagarjuna University and Loyola College from December 12 to 23 for conducting the tournament.

SAAP, SAI and SGFI also were also given orders to appoint the qualified officiating officials for all 22 events. Besides, the Health department, I&PR, GMC-VMC, APSRTC, Police, Protocol, Fire Safety, Electricity department, Culture and Tourism, Textiles & Handlooms and National Disaster response force of Andhra Pradesh were given orders for taking necessary arrangements.