It was in 2018 when PM Narendra Modi launched the Khelo India Games (Youth for under-17 and University for under-21 age groups) with much fanfare in Delhi. The series is meant to boost sports at the grass-roots level, bringing to the fore a whole new set of talent. The exciting aspect of the games is their financial support to players who do well at this stage. Almost 1000 winning players are given an annual scholarship of 5,00,000 for eight years to nurture them into global-class sportspersons. Little wonder then, in a very short period, Khelo India has been a significant brand and draw for sporting disciplines across the board.
The state of Tamil Nadu was the host of the latest edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, and here is a snapshot of the Swimming events that were organised at the Sports Development Authority of Tamilnadu (SDAT) Aquatics complex from January 27-31.
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In January-February, Chennai has the perfect weather conditions for a sporting event of this magnitude. The weather is pleasant — with the sea providing the humidity quotient. Considering the city is one of the major metros in India, the infrastructure is not much of a concern — hotels, metros, public transport, food, all of it is a breeze. Accommodations are available in plenty and all price ranges. Also, the pool was located right in the middle of the city at Velacherri, which was quite helpful.
One of the stumbling blocks that all outsiders (especially those from the north of Vindhyas) need to be more careful with is the language issue. For all its cosmopolitan hue, Chennai is a very Tamil City, where you can’t do much if you don’t know Tamil — unlike in Bangalore or Hyderabad. But that was certainly not the experience this time round; the people were going out of the way in terms of hospitality, even speaking in broken Hindi, to bring in the ease.
The Organisation and the Stadium
Khelo India is a national-level event. Hence, it gets participation from all across India. Speaking from a purely swimming perspective, the games were immensely well organised; athletes were welcomed at the arrival points, airport or railway station, provided accommodation, all meals were covered, and transportation from the venue and back. Everything was well-thought-out and well-organised. This is really a surprise when it comes to swimming — because swimmers are not taken care of or provided for in any other meets organised by the Federation or the state units.
The SDAT stadium was world-class, with ample seats for the public. There was a smaller pool on the side, where swimmers could cool off after their races. It was a pity that not many spectators were attending the event except the parents.
The broadcasting infra of the event was one of the best so far. The event was beamed live on DD, and multiple cameras around the pool captured every moment. A dolly cam would zoom in over the lanes, and two drones were flying all the time, capturing the action from above. It was a top-notch production.
The theme song of the event — was one of the catchiest so far. The music or the video was also well crafted and brought enthusiasm to the stadium every time it was played.
Missing Swimmers
Given the event’s scale and size, it was surprising to find some top names missing from the competition. The top performers at the event are offered sponsorship, so this event is critical for many to attain financial support. Some of the names that were missing in the lineup were:
Ishaan Mehra
Yuvraj Singh
Krish Jain
Hansika Ramachander
Dinidhi Desinghu
Marquee Performances
In every event, a handful of swimmers leave a mark. While there is one Individual Trophy, there are usually a bunch of swimmers who have performed exceedingly well. This year’s standout performances go to:
Yug Chelani
Rishabh Das
Palak Joshi
Also, an additional mention of Tirthank Pegu of Assam, who lost his father while the events were about to start and yet he went ahead and performed well — to win a gold. There could not be a better gift for the departed soul.