UCPN Maoist President Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the five-day festival. [break]
The festival includes men´s and women´s volleyball, basketball, handball, wushu, karate, archery, kabaddi, chess, boxing, tennis, cricket, taekwondo among other.
According to the organizer, altogether 264 players will compete from 564 medals in including 180 gold medals.
Kabaddi is conducted in Kaski district after 28 years according to Suma Devkota, the president of Kaski District Sports Development Committee.
Of the 20 games, 18 will be conducted at the stadium while tennis will be held at Parshyang tennis court and cricket at Nadipur Training Center ground.
Players demonstrated different skills during the inaugural ceremony. Bikram Bhujel secured first position in the 1500 meter race while Bindo Gurung and Chok Bahadur Gurung came in second and third places respectively.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, UCPN (Maoist) President Dahal committed that he and his party would take initiatives to make Pokhara a sports city.
National Sports Council Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama lauded Kaski District Sports Development Committee for organizing the festival. He also expressed commitment to help upgrade the stadium.
Similarly, the locals urged the authorities to upgrade the stadium.
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