Kerala, a touch of melancholy notwithstanding, bid farewell to the participants of the 35th National Games with an elaborate closing ceremony at the Greenfield stadium, Kariyavattom, on Saturday.
The settings may not have been as electric as on the opening day, but it still was an evening to remember.
The ceremony inched ahead with the sports protocol, as usual, taking precedence over the pomp and gaiety of the cultural extravaganza. The arrival of the athletes, in the form of a jumbled march-past, marked the beginning of the show.
In his short address, Union Minister of State for Sports Sarbananda Sonowal remarked that the competitions over 14 days had been a great revelation of the vast talent pool the country possesses and hoped the Indian team would improve upon its London Olympics performance at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
In a special message, read out by Sonowal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said events like the National Games served as springboards for the country’s young sportspersons to make a mark internationally.
“I hope that India shall soon be able to realise its true potential in the global sporting arena,” the message read.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the cooperation received from various sections of society had helped the Government and the NGOC host the Games successfully. He also lavished praise on the Kerala contingent for its fine showing and emerging second behind Services in the overall medals tally.
IOA president N. Ramachandran, in his presidential address, said the results of the competitions in various disciplines was a clear indicator of the country’s growing prowess in sports and games.
Praising the Kerala Government and the NGOC, Ramachandran said the Games were conducted in a most befitting manner. Kerala Governor Justice P. Sathasivam presented the trophy for best performing State to host team captain Preeja Sreedharan, while the IOA president gave away the Raja Bhalendra Singh Trophy to the Services team, overall medals tally topper for a third time in a row.
Swimmers Sajan Prakash (Kerala) and Aakansha Vora (Maharashtra) were adjudged best performers in the men’s and women’s sections.
Justice Sathasivam, in his address, touched upon the Olympic motto and asked sportspersons to uphold the Olympic principals before declaring the Games closed.
The IOA flag was passed on by the IOA president to Gurudatta D. Bhakta, secretary-general of the Goa Olympic Association, the host of the next edition.
Ammu, the Games mascot, then made an appearance for the last time and was followed by a short artistic presentation by the Goan delegation which showcased its rich cultural heritage and the vibrant lifestyle of the people of the State.
Then it was the turn of the dancers to take over and the scene was one of merriment before the show came to a close with a pyrotechnic display lighting up the night skies.
