Diu, May 19 : The first-ever Khelo India Beach Games began on Monday at Ghoghla Beach in Diu, with more than 1,350 athletes from over 30 states and Union Territories taking part. The event was inaugurated by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and is being organised by the Sports Authority of India along with the administration of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a message to the organisers, called the Khelo India Beach Games a 'watershed moment' in India's sporting history. He said the Games would strengthen India's domestic sports ecosystem and promote coastal culture.

PM Modi said, 'An amalgamation of sun, sand and water, they enhance the physical challenge and at the same time, celebrate our coastal heritage.'

'The Khelo India Beach Games promise to make waves in India's sporting calendar,' he added.

The Games, which will run till May 24, include competitions in six medal sports: beach soccer, beach volleyball, sepaktakraw, kabaddi, pencaksilat and open water swimming. Additionally, mallakhamb and tug-of-war will be held as demonstration events.

Highlighting the significance of the venue, PM Modi said, 'The choice of Diu as the venue of the Khelo India Beach Games is fitting.'

He also underlined the power of sports to unite the country. 'In a nation as diverse as ours, sports have always held a unique power that unites cultures, regions and languages. The vibrant energy of sports goes beyond entertainment and has become a transformative force, symbolising national pride and aspirations of our youth,' he said.

Mansukh Mandaviya, while inaugurating the event, said the Khelo India Beach Games mark the beginning of a new sports movement in India. 'We are not just inaugurating a sports event, we are heralding India's first beach sports revolution,' he said.

The government aims to use the Khelo India platform to link sports with employment and youth empowerment. Mandaviya said, 'For a Viksit Bharat, Khelo India is a sure pathway for youth to achieve their dreams.'

The opening ceremony also featured cultural performances, celebrating India's traditional dance forms and diversity.

/IANS