Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that for the first time ever, players from karate, fencing and pencak silat will get a chance to represent their states during the 7th All India Judo Cluster.
The 7th All India Judo Cluster opening ceremony was held on Monday. Thakur was also a part of the ceremony.
"For the first time, 3 other sports including Karate, Fencing and Pencak Silat have also been included in this championship, which I welcome. This will give opportunities to more players," said Thakur during the ceremony.
He said that earlier, only sports like judo, taekwondo, gymnastics and wushu were part of the championship.
The event is being organised by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The six-day event will be organised between September 19 and 24 here in the national capital in which seven games including Judo, Wushu, Taekwondo, Pencak Silat, Karate, Gymnastics and Fencing will be organised.
"The CISF is organising 7th All India Police Judo Cluster-2022 from 19th to 24th September 2022 at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi," CISF Inspector General (Administration) Udayan Banerjee said while addressing a press briefing earlier on September 16.
This year Penkak Silat, Fencing and Wushu are included for the first time in the Cluster.
41 teams with about 1,500 sportspersons from Central Police Forces and State Police will be participating in the Championship. At least 168 sportspersons of CISF (97 men and 71 women) will take part in the Cluster.
The closing ceremony of the Cluster will be organised on September 24 in presence of Archana Ramasundaram, Member, Lokpal of India, as the Chief Guest.
Banerjee also said that all endeavours would be made by the CISF to promote the sports associated with the Judo Cluster amongst the youth of our country.
Pooja Kadiyan, Arjun Awardee, 'Wushu' champion, four-time world champion and first-ever Gold Medallist of India in world championship 2017, Tulika Maan, Silver Medalist in 'Judo' in Commonwealth Games-2022, and Vijay Kumar Yadav, Bronze Medalist in 'Judo' in Commonwealth Games-2022, were present at the press briefing.
N.G.Gupta, IG (NCR), Vijay Prakash, IPS, IG (APS-I) and Shikha Gupta, IG (Rectt and Trg) of CISF felicitated all above invited renowned sportspersons by presenting them shawls and mementos.
( With inputs from ANI )
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