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Haryana Formation Day: The State That Has Become Sports Engine Of India
Writer: Devyani Madaik
A media enthusiast, Devyani believes in learning on the job and there is nothing off limits when it comes to work. Writing is her passion and she is always ready for a debate as well.
Haryana, 1 Nov 2021 12:12 PM GMT
Editor : Palak Agrawal |
Palak a journalism graduate believes in simplifying the complicated and writing about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. She calls herself a " hodophile" or in layman words- a person who loves to travel.
Creatives : Devyani Madaik
A media enthusiast, Devyani believes in learning on the job and there is nothing off limits when it comes to work. Writing is her passion and she is always ready for a debate as well.
Reportedly, over 30% of India's medals in Olympic history have been bagged by sportspersons from Haryana, making it the athletic epicenter of the country despite a lack of sufficient sports academies, centres, and facilities.
November 1 is observed as the formation day of Haryana, which it shares with four other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Kerala.
Formed in 1966, Haryana was constituted due to the partition of the former state of Punjab into two separate states.
Britannica reports that the word Haryana is derived from the term 'Hari', which refers to Hindu God Vishnu, and 'Ayana means The abode of God. the state shares its borders with Punjab and capital city Chandigarh in the northwest, and Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the northeast.
On the east, the state is bounded by Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, while on the South and Southwest, it is bounded by Rajasthan.
Sports Capital Of India
The state is well-known for contributing to the sports sector in India. More than dozens of athletes have represented the country at various international competitions, including the Olympics, Commonwealth, and so forth. However, the state accounts for only 2 per cent of the country's population.
Reportedly, over 30 per cent of India's medals in Olympic history have been bagged by sportspersons from Haryana, making it the athletic epicenter of the country despite a lack of sufficient sports academies, centres, and facilities.
The individuals have excelled in various fields, primarily in shooting, wrestling, cricket, boxing, hockey, Kabaddi, basketball, weightlifting, swimming, mountain climbers, football, volleyball, martial arts, etc.
Prominent Personalities
Some of the prominent personalities in the sports fraternity are natives of Haryana, including former cricketer Kapil Dev, Dalel Singh Ror, Kavita Devi, Narender Kumar Grewal, Jai Bhagwan, and many more.
According to the reports, besides hockey, the sportspersons have won nearly 23 individual medals in its Olympic history, with Haryana accounting for most of them.
However, the recent Tokyo Olympics will remain in history for a long time for several reasons. It was the first-ever game to be played after the coronavirus outbreak hit the world.
Around 126 athletes represented India in the games, out of which 31 athletes were from Haryana (25 per cent). The individuals brought seven medals home - Neeraj Chopra for Javelin (Gold), Ravi Kumar Dahiya for Wrestling (Silver), Mirabai Chanu for Weightlifting (Silver), PV Sindhu for Badminton (Bronze), Lovlina Borgohain for Welterweight (Bonze), Bajarang Punia for Wrestling (Bronze), and the Indian Hockey Team scripting history by winning Bronze.
Out of all the districts, Sonepat has reportedly produced more players, followed by Kurukshetra and Jhajjar. Specifically, the two panchayats of Nahri and Nahra in the district are known for producing wrestlers in almost every village.
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