Jain University best, KIUG ends in Bengaluru
HT Correspondent
BENGALURU: Swimmers Siva Sridhar and Shrungi Bandekar emerged the best male and female athletes and hosts Jain University finished as toppers in the Khelo India University Games 2021 which concluded here on Tuesday.
Union home minister Amit Shah was the chief guest at a glittering closing ceremony. He presented the overall champion’s title to Jain University, who claimed 32 medals (20 gold, 7 silver, 5 bronze). Lovely Professional University, Punjab were second (17, 15, 19). Defending champions Panjab University were third (15, 9, 24).
Crediting the performances of the young athletes, Amit Shah, said: “I congratulate all the universities and the athletes who participated. Winning or losing is part and parcel of sports. But to compete in sports is the more important thing. Since 2014, PM Narendra Modi made it a mission of his life to make India the No 1 nation in every area, including sports. He never worried about problems, but planned, worked hard and found ways to bring results. In sports, PM Modi took a series of initiatives, and today we can see the beautiful result.
“I want to tell athletes that sports are an important aspect of our life. The one who plays sports will only get success in life, because sports give us the strength to bear defeat in life. Only then, you can develop the desire to win. Our athletes are making us proud of the Olympics these days. And PM Modi has developed a roadmap to ensure, by 2047, when India celebrates 100th Independence Day, it would be among the top five nations at the Olympics,” Shah added.
Union sports minister, Anurag Thakur hailed KIUG 2021 as a very successful event. “The athletes here broke 2 national records and 76 previous records of University Games,” he said.
Sridhar set a national record in 200m individual medley on Tuesday, finishing with seven gold and two silver. Shrungi Bandekar won four gold and one silver. The other national mark was set by woman weightlifter MT Ann Mariya in clean and jerk in the +87kg class.
Jain University were assured of the top spot courtesy woman sprinter Priya Mohan’s 200m/400m double and two karate gold (Syed Baba in –55kg, men’s team kumite).
Results (all finals): Men’s football: MG University 2 bt University Of Kerala 0; Men’s kabaddi: University Of Kota bt Ch Bansi Lal University 52-37; Women: Kurukshetra bt Maharshi Dayanand 46-19.