Vadodara: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani today reiterated his government’s commitment to encourage and promote Gujarati literature, music, dances plays and arts and excellence in sports to new heights alongside creating physical infrastructure for the state’s development.

He said the accomplished littérateurs, musicians, artists, theatre and sports persons belong to a different category of dedicated and talented persons, who continue to encourage and guide the future generations for long, helping build a New India.

Mr. Rupani was speaking at a function, in presence of State Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi and others, to mark the foundation laying ceremony of the Rs.35-crore world class Swarnim Gujarat Sports University headquarters on the 130-acre campus at Desar in Vadodara district, and also to felicitate the winners of the Gujarat Rajya Sangeet Natak Academy Award of the last three years.

He hoped the state’s sports university, the second one in the country, would train Gujarat’s sportspersons to excel at national and international games. He remembered Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative as the state’s Chief Minister to start Khel Mahakumbh to spot talents and raise their standard in different games and events. He said the campus will be ready in 18 months.

As a token acknowledgment of the state’s government’s compassion, Mr. Rupani presented assistance of Rs.2.05-lakh to Savli’s Anuben Panchal and Dattaviben Baria suffering from GBS virus. He also released a booklet on the university, its theme song, the state’s information technology users’ guide and web portal.

Speaking on the importance of physical fitness, State Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi recalled how Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj encouraged physical training, there being 1,200-odd wresting rinks in Maharashtra now. He expressed pleasure at selecting Vadodara district for the Sports University.

Sports Youth & Cultural Affairs Secretary V.P. Patel gave details of the university.

Others present on the occasion included MP Ranjanben Bhatt, Minister of State for Sports Youth & Cultural Affairs Ishwarsinh Oatelm MLAs Kentanbhai Inamdar, Jitubhai Sukhadia, Madhubhai Shrivastava, Seemaben Mohile and Manishaben Vakil, Gujarat Sahitya Academy Chairman Vishnubhai Pandya, Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy Chairman Pankajbhai Bhatt, Swarnim Gujarat Sports University Vice-Chancellor Dr Jatin Soni, Registrar D.D. Kapadia, District Collector P. Bharti, DDO Vijaysinh Vaghela and DSP Saurabh Talambia.

– Information