Agartala, September 5: Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha yesterday emphasized the importance of sports in both physical and mental development, saying that active participation in games fosters a healthy society and helps young people remain mentally strong. He was speaking at the inauguration of the Yonex Sunrise North East Zone Inter-State Zonal Badminton Championship at the Netaji Subhash Regional Sports Training Centre Indoor Stadium in Agartala.
The four-day tournament, which began on September 4 and will conclude on September 7, has drawn 216 players in junior and senior categories from all eight Northeastern states.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to sports development, the Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given equal importance to improving sports infrastructure along with socio-economic progress in the region. He noted that Tripura has no dearth of sporting talent, with many athletes excelling at both national and international levels.
Dr. Saha outlined several initiatives taken by the state to boost sports facilities, including the construction of eight synthetic turf football grounds, a modern swimming pool, installation of synthetic turf with floodlights at Umakanta Stadium, and the setting up of 50 open gyms across the state. He also announced that a 200-bed sports hostel will soon be built at the Badharghat Sports Complex.
The Chief Minister encouraged visiting players to explore Tripura’s tourist destinations during their stay. After the inauguration, he and other dignitaries interacted with the participants.
Youth Affairs and Sports Secretary Dr. Pradip Kumar Chakraborty, in his address, said that Tripura’s badminton players have already earned recognition at the national level and expressed confidence that they would continue to uphold their reputation. Tripura Sports Council Secretary Sukanta Ghosh also spoke on the occasion.
Among the dignitaries present were Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumdar, AMC Corporator Ratna Dutta, Director of Youth Affairs and Sports L. Darlong, Padma Shri awardee gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Tripura Badminton Association Secretary Rupak Kumar Saha, Working President Ratan Saha, and Manipur Badminton Association President and MLA Biswajit Singh.
The inauguration ceremony concluded with a vibrant cultural program.
