India News | Gujarat Govt Organises State-level 'Surya Namaskar' Competition

Gandhinagar, Dec 6 (PTI) The Gujarat government has organised a state-level Surya Namaskar or Sun salutation competition to promote health awareness among youths, Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Wednesday.

A participation of 20 lakh youngsters is expected in this multi-level statewide competition, he said.

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"An innovative approach to make citizens healthy through yoga practice has been undertaken in the state through the 'Surya Namaskar' competition. The online registration started on December 6," said Sanghavi, who also holds the Youth Services and Culture departments.

The competition is organised between December 6 and December 31 at more than 20,000 places across Gujarat, starting from schools at the village level. Prizes worth more than Rs 2 crore will be given to winners, he said.

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The winners at the village, taluka and district levels will participate in an event to be organised at Modhera Surya Mandir on January 1, 2024, Sanghavi said, adding that the Sun salutation campaign has been launched through the Gujarat State Yoga Board.

Participants can register under three categories- 9 to 18 years, 19 to 40 years, and above 41 years. The top three winners at the state level will get Rs 2,50,000, Rs 1,75,000, and Rs 1,00,000, respectively, the minister said.

"The grand finale of the competition will be organised at Modhera-based Surya Temple in Mehsana district on January 1 where participants will offer prayers to the rising Sun by doing Surya Namaskar on the New Year's Day," the Minister said.

Simultaneous programmes will be organised at around 190 places in the district and municipal levels in Gujarat, he said.

The minister also said seven sports startup companies have been shortlisted for the pitchbook competition to be held during the Gujarat Sports Startup Conclave on December 11, a first in the country, as part of a pre-Vibrant event at TransStadia University in Ahmedabad.

A panel of judges will decide the top three startups and they will be rewarded with prizes of Rs 10 lakh, Rs 7 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, respectively. A consolation prize money of Rs 1 lakh each would be given to the remaining four startups, the minister said.

"Hosting Gujarat Startup Sports Conclave within the framework of the Vibrant Gujarat initiative marks a substantial effort in our pledge to enhance the sports ecosystem and the endeavour to attract investments, catalysing economic development and positioning Gujarat as a key hub for business and trade,” Sanghavi said.

The Gujarat Sports Startup Conclave will bring together sports and business leaders and entities, recognising the outstanding achievements in the sports business landscape across the country, he said.

The seven shortlisted startups will compete at the pitchbook competition on the event day, showcasing their business ideas and products to a panel of seasoned judges who are acclaimed in the field of sports on December 11, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)