Education Minister Inaugurates 68th State-Level Sports Competition in Kota, Pledges to Make the State Polythene-Free

Jaipur – Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Madan Dilawar inaugurated the 68th State-Level Higher Primary, Middle, and Higher Secondary School Sports Competition at Maharao Ummed Singh Stadium in Kota on Thursday. The event began with the hoisting of the flag and the release of balloons.

Addressing the students and the public after the inauguration, the minister emphasized that winning and losing are part of the game, but the spirit of sportsmanship should always be maintained, without harboring any ill feelings. He encouraged the players to embrace competition as a path to progress and challenged them to face life’s challenges with courage. He also congratulated the participants for making it to the state level after succeeding at the district level.

On this occasion, the minister also called for a resolution to make the region polythene-free. He urged the players to pledge that they would refrain from using polythene and motivate their families and neighbors to do the same. Highlighting the harmful effects of polythene, he pointed out that it is causing the deaths of cattle and degrading the fertility of the soil, with microplastic particles entering the human body, leading to serious illnesses such as cancer. He stressed the importance of stopping plastic use to protect the environment and save livestock.

The minister also expressed his gratitude to the Bhamashahs and the organizers for their support in making the competition a success. Present at the event were Kota District Chief Mr. Mukesh Meghwal, Additional District Collector Mr. Anil Singhal, Chief District Punishment Officer Mr. K.K. Sharma, and other officials from the Department of Corrections.

At the start of the program, around 3,000 athletes from various districts of the region participated in a march-past. The Education Minister and other guests saluted the athletes. Jaisalmer’s team took first place in the march-past, followed by Kekdi in second and Pali in third. Mementos were awarded to the captains and team in-charges of the winning teams.

It is noteworthy that this state-level sports competition, running from September 19 to 24, includes a softball tournament for players aged 14 and chess competitions for the 17 and 19 age groups. The softball events will take place at District Political Multipurpose School, Gumanpura, while the chess games will be held at Mahatma Gandhi Senior Secondary School, Rampura.