Ajit Pawar to felicitate athletes at Olympic Day celebrations
As part of Olympic Day celebrations on Monday, an 'Olympic race', sports demonstrations, and felicitation of athletes are being organised at S P College in Pune by the Maharashtra Olympic Association. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also the president of the association, will felicitate athletes on the occasion.
The ceremony will begin at 7.30 am with the race. Wreaths will be offered to the statues of Bal Shivaji Maharaj and Rajmata Jijau at the historic Lal Mahal near Shaniwar Wada. Demonstrations of men's sports and various games will also be held at the Lal Mahal. The Olympic race will begin by lighting the sports flame by athletes. The tradition of Olympic race in Pune has continued in the past two decades, the association said. The Olympic race will start from Shivaji Road, in front of Dagdusheth Ganpati temple, Laxmi Road, Alka Talkies Chowk, Tilak Road and end at S P College.
Secretary General of the Maharashtra Olympic Association Namdev Shirgaonkar told The Indian Express, 'The Olympic day is celebrated as the International Olympic Committee was set up on June 23. From Maharashtra's perspective, the Olympic day is really important as India's first individual medal at the Olympics was by the late Kashaba Jadhav at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. This feat was repeated by Swapnil Kusale in the previous Paris Olympics. We hope that this moment continues in Maharashtra and that true athletes come from the rural areas.'
The main ceremony will be held at S P College at 10 am. 'Olympians, Dhyan Chand awardees, and Arjuna awardees' will be honoured by president of the Maharashtra Olympic Association Ajit Pawar. The association was awaiting confirmations from athletes who have been invited for the race and the felicitation. Sports Minister Dattatray Bharane and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation and Pune MP Murlidhar Mohol will also be present at the event. Mallakhamb, Yoga, Gymnastics, Taekwondo, Kickboxing and demonstrations of other athletic sports will feature at the ceremony.
Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune.
A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More
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