Agartala: Nov 09. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma on Saturday flagged off the state’s forest department contingent heading to Dehradun for the 28th All India Forest Sports Meet (AIFSM), set to take place from November 12 to 16.
The Minister distributed jerseys and sports kits to the participants during a brief ceremony held in Agartala, marking Tripura’s first-ever participation in the national inter-departmental sporting event under the government’s budgetary provision.
Encouraging the team, Debbarma advised them to perform without pressure, drawing from his own experience. “Bosses will always try to create pressure, but nothing good comes out of it. You perform better when you’re relaxed,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the contingent would make the state proud, adding, “Even if not gold, at least a medal should come home.”
The Minister informed that ₹20 lakh had been earmarked for the initiative this year and hoped the experience would help officers guide their juniors in future competitions. The participants have been undergoing training for the past one to two months.
The contingent, led by Pravin L. Agrawal, PCCF, will compete in events including athletics, cricket, football, and volleyball. The meet, hosted by the Uttarakhand Forest Department, will see participation from several states.
Senior officials including Rabindra Kumar Samal, PCCF & HoFF and Principal Secretary, and CCF Dr. K. Shashikumar were also present at the flag-off ceremony.
