38th National Games: Services Top Medal Tally As Uttarakhand Hosts Closing Ceremony In Haldwani

The closing ceremony of the 38th National Games began in Haldwani won Friday with home minister Amit Shah as its guest of honour and sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya also joining the event to laud the athletes' performances. (More Sports News)

🅠 To start with, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed Shah with a commemorative memento, a shawl and a bouquet of flowers.

🐈 Besides Shah and Dhami, several other dignitaries are in attendance here, including Mandaviya, next host Meghalaya's CM Kongkal Sangma, Uttarakhand's Sports Minister Rekha Arya, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha, boxing legend MC Mary Kom, and Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang, among others.

ಌ "Uttarakhand has conveyed to the country that it is not just Devbhoomi but also a Khelbhoomi. The state ensured that no athlete faced any difficulty during the Games. It is the beginning of India becoming a sports hub," said Mandaviya in his address to the gathering at the Indira Gandhi International Sports Complex here.

🦹 The venue has a capacity of 25,000 and was packed for the ceremony.

🦋 "It is the beginning of India coming inside the top 10 Olympic performers by 2036. The country now has a sports ecosystem. It is moving forward in every aspect, including sports," Mandaviya said.

🌜 Usha also conveyed a similar message in her address.

🐷 "The journey does not end here, it is only the beginning for Indian sports," said Usha.

❀ The ceremony will feature a 'Games Recap', highlighting the winning moments from start to the end of the sporting extravaganza that began seven venues on January 28 with state capital Dehradun being the main centre.

🅠 At the end of it, traditional powerhouse Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) topped the medal tally for the fifth time in the last six games, with a total haul of 121 medals (68 gold, 26 silver, 27 bronze).

♉ Maharashtra won more medals than Services with 198 (54 gold, 71 silver, 73 bronze) but the lesser gold count meant that it ended at second spot.

💎 Even Haryana got more medals than Services with 153 (48 gold, 47 silver, 58 bronze) but had to be content with a third-place finish.

🌠 Hosts Uttarakhand finished a creditable seventh with a total of 103 medals, including 24 gold, 35 silver and 44 bronze. PTI AH PM AH PM PM