Punjabs Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan Aims to Engage Over 1 Million Participants

Chandigarh, August 19: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced the fourth edition of ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ on Wednesday. The sports festival is set to take place from September 5 to November 29, aiming to involve over 1 million participants across all age groups.

This initiative seeks to revive the sports culture and channel the energy of youth into athletics. The opening ceremony will be held at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in Bathinda, while the closing ceremony is scheduled for Patiala. This year’s edition is expected to be the largest yet.

In a media interaction, Chief Minister Mann expressed pride in the goal of engaging 1 million athletes this year. He emphasized that ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ serves as an excellent platform to identify, encourage, and promote hidden sports talents from every village, town, and city in Punjab.

The Chief Minister noted that the event aims to prepare children and youth for national and international competitions. A unique aspect of this festival is the participation of multiple generations. In previous editions, three generations of the same family—grandparents, parents, and grandchildren—competed together. This year, nine age categories have been created for participants aged 14 to over 70.

The competitions will feature 38 sports disciplines, including four para-sports: athletics, powerlifting, badminton, and wheelchair basketball.

Mann also highlighted that the registration process for athletes has been simplified and is completely free. For the first time, the sports department has introduced a QR code-based registration system, allowing athletes to register anytime and anywhere.

Athletes can also register through the sports department’s portal. The registration process has already begun.

The Chief Minister urged all athletes to register and participate enthusiastically in the games. Competitions will be held at block, district, and state levels, encompassing all 153 blocks and 23 districts of Punjab. State-level competitions will take place in 16 districts.