Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Vadde inaugurates youth festival

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA, JAN. 31. The 15th annual State Youth Festival began on a colourful note here on Saturday at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium.

The Agriculture Minister, Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, declared open the festival, being organised by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, after unfurling the national flag and releasing a dozen pigeons at the venue.

The district Collector, K. Prabhakar Reddy, unfurled the VMC flag to mark the occasion. The Municipal Commissioner, Usha Rani, the Rajahmundry Mayor, Chakravarthy, the former Vijayawada Mayor, T. Venkateswara Rao, the sports committee chairperson, Uppalakumari, the District Sports Welfare Officer, Sudhakar, floor leaders of the VMC, corporators and Government officials were present.

School children performed enthralling folk, group, break and traditional dances and plays during the inaugural. In all, 3,500 sports persons from Government, municipal and NGO run schools would be competing in nine disciplines during the week-long festival. The events were athletics, volleyball, football, kabbadi, cricket, gymnastics, handball, basketball and shuttle badminton.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Sobhanadreeswara Rao said the Government gave priority for development of sports and sportspersons. "The success of the recently held National Games, followed by the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad, has put the State on the international map and reflected the encouragement given by the Government to sports," the Minister said.

Mr. Rao underlined the need for sportspersons to inculcate the spirit of healthy camaraderie and sportsmanship. Success or failure in sports should be faced with equanimity and there should be no room for despair or bitter feelings by losers, he observed.

Emphasis would be laid for developing sports infrastructure to further develop the talent of sportsmen, he added.

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• City police chief promises to curb political interference
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• Vadde inaugurates youth festival
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