A rally and garlanding of statue of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand on the Andhra University premises on Wednesday marked the celebration of National Sports Day, the birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand.
The Department of Physical Education of AU and the Olympic Association of Visakhapatnam organised the programme. Flagging off the rally near YMCA, Superintendent of Police G. Srinivas said support from the associations would help the sportspersons to do well. One should play games with sportsman spirit and medals would be won this way, he said.
A large number of young hockey players, roller-skaters, boxers and other sportspersons participated in the rally. Olympic association president S. Kodandaramiah, Director of Physical Education of AU M. Syambabu, former Olympian M.V. Manikyalu, former MLA P.V.G.R. Naidu, boxing association State secretary G.V. Raviraju, AP weightlifting association president K. Suryanarayana, Director of Sports of Grater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Y. Srinivasa Rao and kabaddi coach M. Uma Sankara Babu were among those who participated. The rally in which sportspersonsparticipated reached the AU campus where Vice-Chancellor in-charge P. George Victor garlanded the statue of Dhyan Chand. He explained the support the university was giving to its sportspersons.