Moodubidire: The government is committed towards promoting sports in Karnataka. In all the departments, 2% of job opportunities will be given to sportspersons and they will get 50% of reservation in the departments related to sports, said Narayana Gowda, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 81st All India Inter-University Athletics Championship on Tuesday at Swaraj Maidana in Moodubidire.

Karnataka and the central government will grant Rs 5 lakhs and Rs 6 lakhs for those who support the sports respectively, he said. As many as 75 sports students are being groomed in the state to take part in the next Olympics , he said.

He said the next Khelo India will be held in Karnataka under the patronage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prof P S Yadapadithaya, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University presided over the inaugural programme. Umanatha A Kotian, Mulky-Moodubidire MLA received the torch.

V Sunil Kumar, Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture flagged off the sports and cultural march past.

Olympian M R Poovamma was felicitated on the occasion.

Cash prize

Adesh Yadav, Arif Ali and Ram Vinod Yadav who created new records in 10000 mtr were presented with cash prizes of Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. Alva’s Education Foundation, Moodubidire sponsored the cash prize.

Procession

The procession took place as part of 81st All India Inter-University Athletics Championship as a precursor to the inaugural programme that drew a huge crowd. Over 150 troupes representing diverse cultures of India participated in the event.

Three meet records in single event

Adesh Yadav of Mangalore University who is studying BSc in Alva’s College, Moodubidire clocked 29:15.46 sec bettering the previous record of Narendra Prathap Singh by 26.73 sec.

Arif Ali of Jananayak Chandrashekhar University, Uttar Pradesh who came second on the track clocked 29:18.82 sec., Ram Vinod Yadav of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur finished the line in 29:27.45 sec.