CM Nitish Kumar to flag off 'Trophy Gaurav Yatra' ahead of women's Asian hockey championship

Patna, Oct 14 (IANS) The upcoming Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2024 in Bihar is generating excitement as the state prepares for a major international sporting event. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to flag off the Trophy Gaurav Yatra on Monday from his official residence.

The yatra will be flagged from the CM's residence at 1 Anne Marg, Patna at 4:00 p.m. The Trophy Gaurav Yatra will carry the championship trophy through all 38 districts of Bihar, and also other states, including Punjab, Haryana, Odisha, and Jharkhand. This Yatra will last from October 14 to November 10 aimed at raising awareness and enthusiasm for the tournament.

Earlier, Nitish Kumar had unveiled the logo and mascot for the tournament. The Bihar government has approved a budget of Rs 10 crore for the Women's Asian Champions Trophy.

This is a historic moment for Bihar, as the Rajgir Hockey Stadium, newly inaugurated by the CM, will host the championship from November 11 to 20. This modern stadium with all its facilities is set to provide an excellent platform for women's hockey at a high level.

The Rajgir International Sports Complex, spanning 90 acres, is a groundbreaking project in India, offering training for 24 sports disciplines simultaneously, making it unique in the country.

Conceived by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the sports complex is part of his vision to establish Bihar as a hub for sports development. The facility includes comprehensive services for athletes, combining training, accommodation, and medical care on the same campus.

Initially budgeted at Rs 740 crore, the project costs have risen to Rs 851 crore and are projected to reach Rs 1,100 crore by the time the International Cricket Stadium, which is part of the complex, is completed in 2025.

The project, which began with the foundation stone being laid on October 12, 2018, has taken six years to evolve into a fully functional sports hub, featuring facilities for both indoor and outdoor sports.

The first phase alone provides facilities for 19 sports, with plans to expand further to accommodate training for all types of sports.