Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath graced the football match between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal at the KD Singh Babu Stadium as the chief guest for the Chief Minister’s Cup on Monday. A video of him kicking a football during the event quickly gained traction on social media, going viral as users shared it widely and responded with various reactions.
CM Yogi kicked off the match by delivering the first kick, marking the official start of the game. The video of this moment spread rapidly online, drawing significant attention and engagement from the public.
During the event, CM Yogi highlighted that, as per the All India Football Federation’s expectations, the Uttar Pradesh government will develop 1,000 football fields across the state. He further explained that all 57,000 village panchayats are currently being equipped with sports fields. In addition, 825 development blocks are in the process of constructing mini-stadiums, while all 75 districts are working towards establishing full-sized stadiums.
आज लखनऊ स्थित केडी सिंह बाबू स्टेडियम में आयोजित Chief Minister's Cup-2024 के शुभारंभ मा. मुख्यमंत्री @myogiadityanath जी ने किया ।
देश भर से उत्तर प्रदेश की धरती पर पधारे सभी प्रतिभावान खिलाड़ियों का हार्दिक अभिनंदन!@IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/mFnCyAXWiQ
— Dr. Chandra Mohan (@cmbjpup) September 2, 2024
Chief Minister Yogi emphasized the significant role Uttar Pradesh has played in Indian sports. He mentioned that the Football Federation has called for each district and 18 divisions to dedicate a stadium specifically for football. The government is fully supportive of promoting sports and enhancing related activities in the state.
The Chief Minister proudly recalled that Uttar Pradesh is home to sporting icons like hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand and the renowned KD Singh Babu. He noted that the KD Singh Babu Stadium was named in honor of this celebrated hockey player. Uttar Pradesh has also made important contributions to the football arena, he added.
Yogi Adityanath also mentioned that the government has provided government jobs through direct recruitment to over 500 athletes who have won medals in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and World Championships. He assured that this initiative would continue. He further highlighted that two players from Uttar Pradesh’s Indian hockey team performed admirably in the Paris Olympics.