Agartala (Tripura) [India] August 30 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday unveiled a statue of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand at the Dashrath Dev State Sports Complex in Badarghat on the occasion of National Sports Day.

On this occasion, Saha's reiterated the state government's commitment to take Tripura further in the field of sports by upgrading its sports infrastructure to international standards and providing suitable training, facilities, and financial assistance to talented players of the state.

Speaking at a function organised at the Dashrath Dev State Sports Complex in Badarghat on the occasion of National Sports Day, the Chief Minister said that special emphasis is being laid on the promotion of sports to build a healthy, disciplined, and drug-free state.

The Chief Minister said that Tripura's sports infrastructure is becoming an example not only in the North-East but also in the entire country.

'The state government is committed to providing world-class facilities to the state's players and building a healthy, drug-free society. The present state government is not only looking at sports as a matter of competition, but also considering it as one of the most important means of physical and mental development, discipline and future shaping of the youth,' he said.

Highlighting the significance of National Sports Day on the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand, the Chief Minister paid tribute to him.

Recalling the life and sports achievements of Major Dhyan Chand, the Chief Minister said that despite limited facilities, he established India's glory in the world sports arena through hard work, perseverance and dedication.

The Chief Minister said that the government has given special importance to giving due respect to the meritorious players and sports personalities of the state.

'To commemorate their contribution, various sports infrastructures are also being named. The synthetic athletic track at Badharghat is named after renowned athlete Debabhakti Jamatia, the hockey ground is named after renowned coach Swadeshpriya Nandi, a field at Khowai is named after Pratul Bhattacharya, the synthetic track at Panisagar is named after national athletics coach Dr. Arunabha Roy, the indoor hall in Dharmanagar has been named after badminton star Gauri Shekhar Roy, and the sports hostel in Ambassa has been named after gymnast Madhusudan Saha,' he said.

He said that the current government's approach is to judge players based on their achievements and not on politics.

Highlighting various aspects of the development of the state's sports infrastructure, the Chief Minister said that several synthetic football turfs have already been constructed in different parts of the state.

'Modern floodlights have been installed at the Umakanta Academy ground. Work is underway to construct an international-standard cricket stadium in Narsinghgarh. Plans have also been taken to construct a gallery with a seating capacity of about 30,000 at Badarghat. Besides, work is underway to construct modern sports hostels and youth hostels in Badarghat, Kailashahar and Udaipur,' he said.

Regarding financial assistance to the players, the Chief Minister said that the government has arranged financial awards to encourage players who achieve success at the national and international levels.

The Chief Minister said that sports are not just physical exercise; they also play an important role in shaping the mind, character and sense of discipline of a person.

He also urged the next generation to stay away from drugs, read books and get involved in sports.

Sports Minister Tinku Roy, Major Dhyan Chand's son, Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Ashok Kumar Singh, MLA Mina Rani Sarkar, Arjuna Awardee gymnast Montu Debnath, Secretary of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department Tapas Roy, Director of Sports L. Darlong and others were present. (ANI)