Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the 50th Sub-Junior National Basketball Championship at Parade Ground, Dehradun, on Saturday. The tournament, scheduled to run until October 10, has drawn participation from over 1,000 players representing 54 teams from 28 states. The Chief Minister extended congratulations to the Basketball Federation of India and the Uttarakhand Basketball Association for hosting the event.
Dhami said it is a proud and historic moment for Uttarakhand as the state is hosting the Sub-Junior Nationals for the first time. Emphasising the significance of sports, he said they are not just a medium of recreation but also teach discipline, patience, teamwork, and character-building. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives such as Khelo India and Fit India Movement for creating new awareness and inspiring growth in Indian sports.
Highlighting Uttarakhand’s progress in sports, the Chief Minister said that after successfully hosting the 38th National Games, the state is moving rapidly towards becoming a sports hub. A world-class sports infrastructure worth ₹517 crore is being developed, with plans for 23 sports academies in eight major cities. Additionally, the state’s first Sports University in Haldwani and a Women’s Sports College in Lohaghat are under development.
Under the new sports policy, Dhami said, medal winners at the national and international level are being offered out-of-turn government jobs, incentives under the Khiladi Protsahan Yojana, sports kits, state-level awards, and a restored 4% sports quota. Recently, outstanding players were honoured with ₹50 lakh each on National Sports Day.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister directed the Dehradun District Magistrate to identify land for a basketball training academy in the city and also announced plans to establish a training academy near the upcoming Sports University in Haldwani. He instructed the sports department to take proactive measures for basketball promotion and organise regular tournaments similar to other major sports.
The event was attended by MLA Khajan Das, Uttarakhand Basketball Association President Sushil Kumar, Basketball Federation of India General Secretary Kulwinder Singh Gill, Association Vice President Aditya Chauhan, Mandeep Singh Grewal, and other dignitaries.
