Raipur, 24 March (H.S.):

Chhattisgarh hosts the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games starting Wednesday drawing praise from sports icons as a golden platform for tribal youngsters to hone skills and build careers with hockey Olympians Dilip Tirkey Salima Tete and runner Animesh Kujur hailing the initiative.

Around 3800 athletes from 30 states and UTs compete across nine events in Raipur Jagdalpur and Surguja featuring seven medal disciplines archery athletics football hockey swimming weightlifting wrestling plus demonstration Mallakhamb and Kabaddi contending for 106 gold medals athletics leading with 34 swimming 24 wrestling 18 weightlifting 16 archery 10.

Hockey and football unfold in Raipur athletics in Jagdalpur wrestling in Surguja with Chhattisgarh Odisha Jharkhand and Assam fielding over 100 athletes each near gender parity among participants.

Tirkey called it a vital step toward PM Narendra Modis vision of sports-leading India confident tribal talents will shine nationally. Selected via national federation trials SAI coaches track performances to propel winners to bigger stages through April 3.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar