Two-day inter-college judo championship begins at Koti College
Shimla: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh on Monday inaugurated a two-day inter-college judo championship at Government College Koti, Chail-Koti, and urged young participants to approach the martial art with discipline and sporting spirit.
Addressing players from colleges across Himachal Pradesh, Singh said judo should not be viewed merely as a sport but as a discipline that helps inculcate focus, determination and self-control among young people.“Judo is not just a sport but a discipline,” he said, while congratulating the participating teams and encouraging them to compete in the true spirit of sportsmanship.
The minister said judo has gained popularity among young people not only in Himachal Pradesh but across the country. He urged the participants to make the most of the competition and uphold the values associated with the sport. Speaking about the development of the area, Singh said that a decade ago there was no college in the region. With the efforts of local representatives and the government, a college has now been established and developed as an important educational institution for students of the area.
He appealed to the college management, parents and students to encourage greater enrolment while maintaining academic standards. He said most of the demands raised by the college had already been addressed and assured that vacant posts of lecturers and assistant professors would be filled soon.
Singh also announced ₹50,000 for the successful organisation of the judo championship by the college. Dr Deepiksha Bhardwaj, Principal, Government College Koti, welcomed the chief guest and said it was a matter of pride for the institution to host the inter-college judo championship.
She said players from colleges across Himachal Pradesh were participating in the event, with 18 teams in the men’s category and 13 teams in the women’s category. The event was attended by Zila Parishad member Om Prakash Thakur, BDC member Hemawati, Kasumpti Mandal Congress president Ashok Thakur, championship observer Dr Satish Sharma, university technical expert Uttam Dutt, DS Chandel, Sanjay Kumar, Nawesh Kumar, Pankaj Sharma, Virendra Dhaulta, Judo Association secretary Harinder Thakur, Koti Gram Panchayat pradhan Pratibha Sharma, Satlai pradhan Jai Singh, Brandi-Padechi pradhan Kanta Thakur, former Koti pradhan Baldev Puri, former pradhan Dinesh Jhagta and Mashobra BDO Ankit Kotia, besides officials from various departments, participating players and other dignitaries.
The two-day championship will bring together young judokas from colleges across the state, providing them an opportunity to compete at the inter-college level and showcase their sporting skills.
