BENGALURU : Karnataka will host the second edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) later this year. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju made this announcement in Bengaluru on Sunday.
While Jain University in Bengaluru will host a majority of the events, the multi-sport Games will also be held in other venues in the State. The competition, which is conducted for the Under-25 age group, will also witness the introduction of Yogasana and Mallakhamba, lending a traditional feel. With these events being included, there is a growing hope that the number of athletes will go beyond the inaugural edition which was hosted by Bhubaneswar and attended by 3,182 athletes.
Rijiju feels that KIUG will play an important role in spotting special talents at the university level. “Countries that perform well in sports have often drawn their sporting heroes from university-level athletes. In the US, for instance, the University Games are the bedrock of Olympic champions. In India, we need a sustained and focussed plan to identify talent from universities and I am happy that we have been able to do that with KIUG.
This year, with the inclusion of indigenous games, I am hopeful that the number of participants will be even more,” he added. The KIUG took birth after the success of Khelo India Youth Games. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yediyurappa expressed happiness over Karnataka being chosen as the host. “We are privileged to be hosting KIUG 2021. I am confident that the games will produce some of the best future champions of India. The Karnataka government will leave no stone unturned to make the games a success,” he added.