Shimla: The 22-day Shimla Rural Sports Mahakumbh, themed ‘Khelenge Bhi, Khilenge Bhi’, will begin at Banuti on Oct 25, with 9,553 players and organising committee members expected to participate. The event will conclude at Sunni on Nov 15, with cash prizes worth Rs 21 lakh for winners.Shimla Rural MLA and PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh announced the details at a news conference on Wednesday. He said the event was returning after a two-year gap caused by natural disasters and aimed to promote sports and raise awareness about drug abuse among youth.The competition will feature 211 cricket teams, 260 tug-of-war teams, 50 volleyball teams and 60 teams each in men’s and women’s kabaddi. Badminton will also have 60 teams in each category. Around 100 teams have registered for folk dance, while 400 women have signed up for fashion and modelling events. Musical chairs and other recreational activities will also be held.Cricket matches will be played at Sunni, Karyali, Kunihar and Kandaghat, while other events will take place at Sunni and Banuti.Singh said participation would be restricted to residents of the Shimla Rural constituency, with players representing their own panchayats. Kits and sport-specific equipment would be provided, except for tug-of-war.He said the Mahakumbh aimed to nurture local talent and strengthen the sporting culture in rural areas.
