Country's First Multi-Sports Games 2024 Inaugurated In Diu

The country's first 'Beach Games 2024' started on 4 January 2024 at Ghoghla beach in Diu. Diu is part of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu.

• Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur was the event's chief guest.
• Anurag Thakur participated in the ‘My Bharat program’ at Malala Auditorium Diu. Later, Anurag Thakur discussed this with Praful Patel, Administrator of Union Territory Diu and Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Beach Games 2024 to be held:

• This 'Beach Games 2024' will be organized from 4 to 11 January 2024. Meanwhile, a total of eight sports are being organized in the Games.
• The closing ceremony of the Beach Games 2024 will be held at INS Khukri Memorial.
• This year's edition in Diu will showcase sports disciplines that are less prevalent in our country, such as Beach Volleyball, Beach Boxing, Beach Soccer, Beach Kabaddi, Tug of War, Sea Swimming, Malkhamb, etc.
• More than 1,200 participants from more than 20 states and union territories of the country are participating in this event.
• The seven-day-long event sees players competing in eight sports across different age groups.

Prime Minister Modi's message:

• Amit Singla, an IAS officer at the ceremony, read the PM's message. Modi said in his letter, the progress of any country is often reflected in its performance in sports. Therefore, seeing a strong sports culture developing in India is heartening.
• “Beach Games 2024” will work to promote and nurture future beach sports in our country.

Promotion of local sports:

• Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Center plans to organize the World Beach Games in India. Such events will promote various local sports in the country.
• Due to beach sports, tourism activities in Diu will increase in the coming years. In the next 10 years, due to this event, the number of tourists coming here will increase five times.

Help in nurturing local talents:

• Such events will help in honing local talents. For this, the Center has decided to create 1,000 'Khelo India Centres' across the country. All these will be ready before March this year.
• The government is promoting Khelo India Games at every level to attract youth towards sports across the country and to identify new sports talent.

• In this sequence, Khelo India Para Games were organized for the first time in India.