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District-wise Tour of CIFA- Thums Up Rural Games kicks off at Srikakulam

Srikakulam Additional Superintendent of Police, D K Mishra IPS, inaugurated the Rural Extravaganza

• District tour of CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games starts with Srikakulam event
• Andhra Preadesh Police Department joins hands with organizers to conduct the Meet
• At least 40 teams are participating in team events such as Kabbadi over two days.
• Indian Red Cross is organize free medical and health camp

Srikakulam, May 21: The sleepy town of Srikakulam wore a festive look with hundreds of farmers and their families cheering up various teams participating in games like Kabbadi after the Additional Superintendent of Police, D K Mishra IPS, inaugurated the State's first meet of the CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games 2007 at the Kodi Rama Murthy Stadium here today.

Declaring open the meet with a friendly Kabbadi match Mr D K Mishra IPS said, “Srikakulam meet of CIFA-Thums Up Rural Game is one of the best examples of public-private partnership to benefit the communities. Police Department has joined hands with CIFA and Hindustan Coca-Cola with the aim of bringing rural communities under one banner and to keep their rural spirit up through sporting activities.”

With the inauguration, curtains rose on the district-wise tour of the CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games 2007 organized by Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages. After successfully completing the meet at Srikakulam, the meet will move over to 19 venues in 14 districts over the next two weeks with thousands of farmers participating in rural sporting games like Kabbadi, Sack Carrying Race, etc.

With the aim of offering the villagers healthy benefits, the organizers have also brought in Indian Red Cross to conduct a health and medical camp at the venue. A six-member medical team with three doctors is camping at the site offering free medical check up and advices to the people who participate and witness various sporting activities.

The meet will see hundreds of players participating in Kabbadi, Sack carrying race in Men’s category and Rangoli and Short-distance races in Women’s category. The Kabaddi winners will get a cash prize of Rs 5000 and a trophy, and the runner-up will get Rs 2500 as cash prize. Winner of Sack carrying race will get Rs 3000 as prize money and the runner-up will go home with Rs 2000 cash prize.

Similarly, in women’s category, winner of the Rangoli contest will get a cash prize of Rs 1000 and runner-up will get Rs 500. Winner of the relay running competition will bag Rs 2000 and runner-up team will get Rs 1500 as cash prize.

Winners of the district-level competitions will also move to vie for the top honours at the State level scheduled for the first week of June.

Bringing a carnival atmosphere to the Games, organizers are offering a cultural evening to the villagers with local participants tuning to popular songs and offering a feast of mimicry and dance in front of large crowd of farmers and their families.

The CIFA-Thums Up Rural Games is being organized with the objectives to channelize energies of youth towards constructive activities and to strengthen the social cohesiveness for sustainable development in villages. It is also aimed at inculcating interest in sports among rural youth and help spot hidden talent among them, besides instilling pride of achievement amongst the rural folk.

 RURAL GAMES 2006