Panaji (Goa) [India], Jan 28 (ANI): The National Games Organising Committee (NGOC) will kick off the celebrations to announce the official launch of the 36th edition of the National Games of India on January 31, 2020, at Panaji.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju will be the chief guest for the event. Wrestler Sushil Kumar, two-time Olympic medalist along with India's first and only World Champion in Athletics, Anju Bobby George will also be gracing the event.

The official mascot for the Games will be making its grand entry and will be the main attraction for the Games over the next nine months.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president, Narinder Dhruv Batra and Secretary General Rajeev Mehta will also be part of the event.

The event will take place in the presence of Dr. Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister of Goa and Chairman NGOC; and Union Minister Shripad Naik.

Goa 2020 Games will witness over 12,000 participants from all states and union territories vying for top honours in 37 different disciplines.

"After hosting international sporting events like the Lusofonia Games and FIFA U-17 World Cup, Goa has emerged as one of the top sporting states in India. We are now all set to host the 36th National Games of India in October 2020 and to herald the beginning of the event, the official announcement has been scheduled on January 31," Dr. Pramod Sawant, CM of Goa and Chairman of the National Games Organising Committee (NGOC) said.

The National Games of India is the premier multi-discipline sporting event held in the country. The state government has created a state-of-the-art infrastructure for this national sporting event.

Recently, five indoor stadiums were inaugurated at Navelim, Sawalwada, Fatorda, Ponda, and Campal on a single day. (ANI)