Games On: PM Inaugurates A Spectacle
Patna: With a burst of colour, rhythm and cultural pride, the 7th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 was declared open on Sunday evening by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a video message beamed onto a 10,000-square-foot LED screen at the spectacularly lit
Patliputra Sports Complex
here.
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Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said India was on the path to hosting the 2036 Olympics and all states must contribute to this vision. He congratulated CM Nitish Kumar for promoting sports in Bihar. State sports minister Surendra Mehta welcomed the guests and attendees.
The visual grandeur of the evening matched international standards. Ravindran Shankaran, director general-cum-CEO of the Bihar State Sports Authority and the driving force behind the event, said the complex was fitted with 1,600 movable decorative lights, 1,000 LED lights, 44,000-lumen projectors and a 3D projection floor.
The evening also saw Bihar setting two new Guinness World Records. Buddhist monks from Gaya performed the largest singing bowl ensemble and the state unveiled the largest Madhubani painting, created by 50 women in 50 hours.
A total of 8,500 athletes, including 450 from Bihar, are competing in 28 sports in five venues – Patna, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Begusarai and Rajgir. Additional events, including shooting, track cycling and gymnastics are being held in Delhi.
The competitions will run till May 15. Altogether 2,435 medals are up for grabs.
Celebrated actor and Bihar native Pankaj Tripathi narrated the state's rich legacy. "This is the land where history is not written, but created," he said, adding a cinematic flourish to the occasion.
Taufiq Qureshi, Vikram Ghosh, Praveen Gokhandi, and Rajesh Vaidya joined AR Rahman College students and folk sensation Maithili Thakur in a vibrant cultural programme.
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Pandits from Varanasi performed the Ganga Aarti while local artists portrayed goddesses Maa Mundeshwari, Mangala Gauri, Maa Ganga and Maa Sita on stage.
Around 1,600 artists took part in the opening ceremony, including 600 govt school students who delivered an enchanting performance showcasing Bihar's sporting spirit and cultural richness. The lineup featured traditional folk dances such as Jhijhiya, renditions of Chhath songs by late Sharda Sinha and performances of Sama Chakeva and Kajri, along with the KIYG anthem.
In early sporting action, K Thauneesh Jathya of Andhra Pradesh claimed gold in the boys' recurve archery event held at Bhagalpur.
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