Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 25 (ANI): The Khel Mahakumbh 2026 began at Banuti, near Shimla, on Sunday, with around 10,000 players expected to showcase their talent in various sporting and cultural competitions aimed at promoting sports and discouraging drug abuse among youth in Himachal Pradesh.
Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who is also the president of the Himachal Pradesh Sports Culture Environment Association, inaugurated the event and administered an oath to participants and others to stay away from drugs.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said the initiative aimed to promote sports, encourage social activities and create awareness among young people about the growing menace of drug abuse. He urged residents to participate enthusiastically in sporting activities and said the event would provide a common platform for emerging talent to demonstrate their abilities.
The competitions include cricket, volleyball, tug-of-war, kabaddi and badminton, along with modelling and folk dance.
Singh said sports instil discipline, confidence and team spirit among young people and provide them with a constructive avenue to channel their energy. He emphasised that combating drug abuse required the participation of every section of society and urged youth to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Highlighting women's achievements, the minister said women were scaling new heights in every field alongside men. Himachal Pradesh's women athletes had brought laurels to the state at national and international levels, he said, stressing the need to encourage greater participation of women in sports.
He said the Khel Mahakumbh would offer local sporting talent an opportunity to showcase its potential while strengthening sportsmanship, mutual brotherhood and the message of building a drug-free society.
Singh also reiterated his commitment to developing the Shimla Rural Assembly constituency as a model constituency. Recalling the contributions of Himachal Pradesh's first Chief Minister, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar, former Chief Minister Ram Lal Thakur and former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, he said following their vision and ideals would be a fitting tribute to their legacy.
He said development works worth more than Rs 600 crore had been completed in the Shimla Rural constituency, while development projects worth over Rs 1,000 crore had been accelerated across the state during the present government's tenure.
Singh added that he was committed to the state's development above party politics.
Shimla District Congress Committee Rural president Hari Krishna Himral, Shimla Urban Congress president Inderjit Singh, former MLA Sohan Lal, Chiranji Lal Kashyap, block president Gopal Sharma, Congress general secretaries Chandra Shekhar Sharma, Nirmala Verma and Prabha Verma, Brij Lal, Vikas Kalta, Pradeep Verma and Devendra Verma were among those present.
Senior Congress leaders, party workers, panchayat pradhans from various parts of the Shimla Rural constituency, members of women's groups and a large number of residents also attended the inaugural event. (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh's PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh inaugurates Khel Mahakumbh 2026 in rural Shimla
