Shillong, Jan 15 (IANS): President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said that the northeastern region has a tremendous potential for development of sports and sportspersons, adidng the region has a strong sports culture.
The President on Monday inaugurated the 5th edition of the Meghalaya Games in Tura.
She said that diversity is the beauty of India and talent of the sportspersons should be utilised to further boost India's global image in the sports arena.
She emphasised the need to support the talent from the tribal areas and groom them to become professional sportspersons.
The President expressed her happiness to note that the society of northeast encourages women to play and join sports as a profession.
Noting that northeast has produced many great women athletes, she also underlined the potential of adventure sports and adventure tourism in this region and the need to explore and leverage it on priority.
The President said that India's sporting culture has developed immensely in recent years.
"With government's new initiatives and encouragement to the athletes, Indian sportspersons are now winning more medals than ever in global events."
Programmes such as Khelo India are helping in identifying and nurturing future sports champions, she said adding that India has also demonstrated its ability to host large scale international sporting and other events.
The President urged children and youth to learn at least one sport and participate in sports-related activities.
She said that they may or may not adopt sports as a career but playing together would inculcate team spirit and competitiveness in their personality apart from keeping them physically and mentally fit.
The President said that the decision of the Meghalaya government to hold these games in different parts of the state is a welcome step and would ensure wider reach of such events among masses.
She expressed confidence that the events like Meghalaya Games will encourage athletes for excellence, promote competitiveness and create a vibrant sporting ecosystem.
Over 3,000 athletes from across the state would participate in 22 disciplines in the Meghalaya Games. This is for the first time, indigenous games would be part of the Meghalaya Games to promote the rich culture and tradition of the three Meghalaya tribes -- Khasi, Jaintia and Garo -- of Meghalaya through sports. Earlier Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received the President at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, from where Murmu flew to Baljek Airport in West Garo Hills District by helicopter.
The President would lay the foundation for the Shillong Ropeway project on Tuesday in Meghalaya capital Shillong.