"A record number of about 2.2 million players from across the state have registered for taking part in different category of sports events starting from Monday. The number is 7.2 lakh more than participation of 15 lakh players in the Khel Mahakumbh organised last year," said Bhagyesh Jha, Secretary to the Gujarat Sports and Cultural Ministry.
The `khel mahakumbh` or the mega event was last year held in Gandhinagar.
`Khel Mahakumbh` is an initiative by the state government as part of the Gujarat golden jubilee celebrations to promote sports activities, Jha said, adding this year`s event has many attractions like introduction of three different categories of events that include beach volleyball, beach football and beach cricket.
The mega event has been held since last year for common people and the special khel maha kumbh for categories of the differently-able, physically handicapped, intellectually disabled, visually challenged and speech & hearing impaired persons.
Akshay Kumar is the brand ambassador for the sports for physically handicapped persons in the country. Over 60,000 disabled persons from Gujarat are participating in the sports jamboree.
The torch for the mega event arrived here today after traversing distance of 2550 km across the state.
The logo of the event to be inaugurated tomorrow bears the international symbol for the handicapped along with normal sports persons, Jha said.