Short Note - National Games 2015

A Brief History –

The very first National Games was held in 1924 in Lahore. During the year India got independence, in 1947, there was no National Games. However, the first National Games after Independence was held in 1948 in Lucknow.

The motto of National Games is Get Set Play.

35th National Games 2015 (31st Jan – 14th Feb)

The 35th National Games was held in Kerala. It is the second time that Kerala is hosting the national games after it hosted the 27th National Games in 1987.

The mascot of the 35th National Games is ''Ammu'', The Great Hornbill, or the Great Indian Hornbill, the State bird of Kerala.

National Games mascot Ammu, the Great Hornbill, has immortalised itself by finding a mention in the Limca Book of Records.

The mascot found a place in the record books owing to a play, Kalikkunna Kuttikalkkayi Bharatham Kathirikkunnu (India Awaits Children Who Play) in which Ammu is featured.

According to the Limca Book’s 2015 Special Literature Edition, it is a play about a mascot which had been staged in most number of schools.

Legendary Javed Akhtar penned Hariharan composed National Games Anthem for National Games 2015 Kerala.

The games torch,a cauldron shaped in the form of a traditional Kerala lamp, was lit by P.T. Usha and Anju Bobby George, which was passed to them by Sachin Tendulkar.

The oath was taken on the behalf of the participants by the Kerala captain, Preeja Sreedharan.

Sachin Tendulkar was the goodwill ambassador for national games.

Mayuresh Pawar, 21, representing the netball team of his home state Maharashtra died during the game.

Medal Tally –

The Services Sports Control Board has been the all-time leader in Medal Tally of National Games.

Individual –

Sajan Prakash of Kerala won the most medals in National Games 2015. He won 6 Golds, 2 Silvers. He won the medals in Swimming. He was ranked 1st in Individual Medal Tally.

Rajina Kiro of Andaman Nicobar and Inaocha Devi Mayanglambam of Madhya Pradesh 5 Golds 1 Silvers each. They both won medals in Canoe & Kayak but individually.        They ranked 2nd jointly in Medal Tally.

Aakanksha Vora of Maharashtra won 5 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal. She was ranked 3rd.

Saloni Dalal, a school girl of Karnataka became the youngest medal winner in the ongoing 35th National Games in Kerala on 3 February 2015. The 12-year-old, Saloni won a Bronze medal in the 200 meter breast stroke swimming event.

State Wise Medal Tally –

The 2016 National Games is likely to be held in Goa.