Chennai, Jan 18 (PTI) The stage is all set for the inauguration of the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of a host of dignitaries including Chief Minister M K Stalin.

Over 5,500 athletes will take part in 26 competitive sports from January 19-31, the state government said on Thursday. Through this mega event, the government hopes to repeat the spectacular success and fame achieved by organising the 44th Chennai Chess Olympiad in 2022.

Also Read | Air Pollution: GRAP-III Revoked in Delhi-NCR As Air Quality Now in 'Very Poor' Levels.

The prime minister would inaugurate the games in the presence of Governor R N Ravi, and the chief minister.

Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik, and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udayanidhi Stalin will also participate.

Also Read | Kashmiri Pandits Genocide: Three British MPs Table Motion To Mark 34th Anniversary of Attacks and Displacements of Kashmiri Pandits From Jammu and Kashmir in 1990.

The competition in various disciplines including football, kabaddi, volleyball, Judo, weightlifting, squash, archery, boxing, badminton, table tennis, cycling, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, shooting, yoga, wrestling etc., will be held in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, and Madurai.

Silambam, a traditional sport of Tamil Nadu, is being introduced as a demo sport for the first time in the history of Khelo India Youth Games, the release said. More than 1,000 referees and 1,200 volunteers will be involved.

(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)