Sonowal inaugurates 36th National Junior Athletics Championships at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati

Altogether 1627 athletes representing 32 States have participated in the championship which is organized by Assam Athletics Association.

The 5-day championship starting on Sunday includes 100 events for athletes under-14, 16, 18 and under-20 boys and girls.

While inaugurating the championship, Chief Minister Sonowal thanked the chairman of Athletics Federation of India Adille J Sumariwalla and Union Minister of State (i/c) for Sports and Youth Welfare Kiren Rijiju for giving Assam the opportunity to host the event, which is the country's single largest sports event since the outbreak of Covid-19 in the early part of last year.

He welcomed the participating athletes to Assam and wished them all the best for their performance. He also hoped that the best performing athletes of the championship would make the country proud in international sporting events in future.

The Assam Chief Minister said that apart from developing competitive mentality, sports fosters friendship, brotherhood and humanitarian values.

Chief Minister Sonowal further said that the Assam government has been working unrelentingly to transform Guwahati as the sports capital of the country.

Sonowal said that a congenial environment for sports giving a suitable platform for upcoming sportspersons is being developed with timely initiatives including setting up of Sports University in Assam. He expressed hope that with unified effort of players, parents, coaches and sports organizers, Assam would be able to identify more talented players in future and urged Assam Olympic Association and sports organizations to take sincere steps in this regard.

Chairman of Athletics Federation of India Adille J Sumariwalla in his speech said that while sports events remained confined to indoors due to coronavirus pandemic, Assam set an example by holding such a big championship outdoors for the first time in the country after the COVID-19 outbreak.

He assured the Assam Athletics Association to award atleast one junior national championship every year and supporting its endeavours to get the opportunity to host the World Junior Championships in 2023.   

On the occasion, Chief Minister Sonowal felicitated Hemanta Kumar Kalita who has been elected as the vice chairman of Indian Boxing Federation.

While president of Assam Athletics Association Lakhya Konwar delivered the welcome address, chief general manager of SBI and chief patron of the championship RS Ramesh and promising sportspersons Angkushita Bodo and Durga Bodo also spoke on the occasion. Industry & Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister of State (i/c) for Revenue & Disaster Management Jogen Mohan, chairman of technical committee of Athletics Federation of India Stanley Jones, Director of Sports and Youth Welfare of Assam Government Dharmakanta Mili, office bearers of Athletics Federation of India and Assam Olympic Association, athletes, coaches and team management representing different States were present in the inaugural event.