Home Minister Amit Shah to launch 36th National Games anthem, mascot in Ahmedabad

New Delhi [India], September 3 (ANI): The curtain raiser event of the 36th National Games will be held at the EKA Arena TransStadia in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Saturday.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur will also be present during the event.
Over 9,000 guests from across the state are expected to attend the glittering ceremony.
The curtain-raiser event will witness the unveiling of the Games Anthem and Mascot, as well as a custom-curated website and mobile application, marking the beginning of the biggest sporting extravaganza in the country.
"We are delighted and proud to host the National Games," Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said.
"We are eagerly waiting for India's top athletes and officials and are leaving no stone unturned to make this the best Games ever," he added.
Other dignitaries who will be present include Harsh Sanghavi, Minister for Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities, Gujarat, Kiritkumar J. Parmar, Mayor of Ahmedabad, Anil Khanna, Acting President of Indian Olympic Association, Sujata Chaturvedi, IAS, Secretary, Sports, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The 36th National Games, whose theme is Celebrating Unity Through Sports, are being held after a gap of seven years and will take place between September 29 and October 12.
As many as six cities in the state -- Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar - will play hosts. New Delhi will additionally host the track cycling event.
An estimated 7,000 athletes from 28 states and eight Union Territories are expected to take part across 36 disciplines that include most traditional Olympic sports.
Indigenous sports like Mallakhamb and Yogasana will also feature in the National Games for the first time.
The Games were last held in Kerala in 2015. (ANI)