Rural Extravaganza Kicks
off Amidst Fanfare
Union Minister Dr T Subbarami Reddy
and State Minister Shabbir Ali Mohd launch CIFA-Thums Up
Rural Games 2007
• CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games to cover
32 centers in three states this year, including Karnataka
and Maharashtra
• Subbarami Reddy offers complete help from the central government to the
Rural Games
• Games Torch lit by Olympian Mulini Reddy
• Various government agencies to impart skills and provide information
to villagers
• Free Health Camps and Eye Test Camps to be conducted for the benefit
of participants
Hyderabad, 28th April, 2007: Amidst thunderous
applause by hundreds of farmers, dignitaries and school children
who gathered from different parts of the state, the CIFA-Thums
Up Rural Games 2007 got off to a colourful start at the L.B
Stadium here today.
Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy, Union Minister of
State for Mines, and Shri Shabbir Ali Mohd, State Minister
for Energy, Coal, Minorities Welfare, Wakf & Urudu Academies,
accompanied by AICC member Gudur Narayana Reddy, inaugurated
the CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games 2007 by lighting the traditional
lamp.
Smt. Mulini Reddy, veteran
Olympian and Arjuna Awardee and Sri. Atul Singh, President,
Coca-Cola
India, lit the symbolic torch of CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games
2007 and handed it over to Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Subbarami Reddy
said, “the Rural Games is a great initiative and the
credit goes to the Hindustan Coca- Cola Beverages and Consortium
of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA). Demonstrating its
commitment to the communities it operates, Coca-Cola India
has been organizing various programmes as part of its social
responsibility programme and the Rural Games is going to
go places with the Games moving to two more states from this
year.”
Shri Shabbir Ali Mohd said, “the
CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games are going to have major impact
on the rural
communities as it grows bigger and bigger".
Emphasizing the need for recognizing the
rural vigor and channelizing the energies of youth towards
constructive activities, Sri P. Chengal Reddy, Secretary
General, Consortium of Indian Farmers Association (CIFA)
said “we are delighted that the small steps we took
alongwith Coca-Cola last year are beginning to create enthusiasm
amongst the villagers across the State and look forward to
have more similar experiences together in the years to come.”
Reaffriming the company's commitment towards
communities around the country, Atul Singh said, “the
first edition of CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games met with great
success and that encouraged us to stage this event in more
states."
He added, “I also wish to thank the
Government of Andhra Pradesh for its invaluable support in
helping to create unique public-private partnerships that
will ensure that a range of services, ranging from skills
development to knowledge enhancement, are extended to the
villagers”.
The second editon of CIFA-Thums Up Rural
Games will now move to 19 venues in 14 districts over the
next 40 days where rural folk will vie for honours in a variety
of traditional sporting activities and games such as sack-carrying
race, kabbadi, tug-of-war etc. The winners of the first leg
of contests at the district level will challenge each other
at the state level grand finale scheduled for the first week
of June.
The CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games will move
on to cover six centres each in Karnataka and Maharashtra
after the conclusion of the Andhra Pradeshand.
To mark the occassion, an on-the-spot drawing
contest was conducted at the venue. It received an overwhelming
response from hundreds of budding artists who lent expression
to their sentiments reinforcing the spirit of the CIFA-Thums
Up Rural Games. The winners were decided by a jury comprising
eminent artist Asha Radhika and Dr Suresh, president of the
Osmania Medical College Doctors Association.
For further information on company's Indian
operations and its products please visit www.coca-colaindia.com
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