Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Jitu Patwari here on Thursday inaugurated the 40th Junior National Archery Competition started at city stadium.

It is noteworthy that this competition that will last till February 14. Prior to this, Sports Minister Jitu Patwari paid tribute to the untimely demise of a road accident near the Shahdol of the Indian archer Jaspal Singh and Saras Soren, who are coming to Bhopal to participate in the competition.

On this occasion, Director Sports and Youth Welfare S.L. Thoussen, President of Indian Archery Association, BVP Rao, Secretary Mahasingh, President of Madhya Pradesh Archery Association, Girijashankar Sharma and Secretary, Preeti Jain, NTPC's AGM K.M. Pacific, DGM A.K. Das and S.G. Poddar, Treasurer of Indian Archery Association, participants and other officers and departmental officers were present.

Addressing the launch of the programme, Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Jitu Patwari described the archery as the ancient mode of the country and said that the organizing of the 40th Junior National Archery Contest in Bhopal is a matter of pride for Madhya Pradesh. He informed that the aim of the state government to launch Archery Feeder Center at Archery Academy and Jhabua and Mandla in Jabalpur is to create talented players in archery competition which can earn medals for state and country.

He said that the Government is committed to give maximum opportunities for talent show to the players of the state in national and international competitions. He congratulated all the participants in the junior national archery competition.