A year after the Maharashtra government accorded the status of sport to dahi handi, the government will organise the first-ever state-level Pro Govinda League in Mumbai on August 31.

The Pro Govinda League will be held at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Worli. Competing teams will compete for the first prize, which is worth Rs 11 lakh.

Maharashtra industries minister Uday Samant said that the competition will be held at the Worli indoor stadium from 6 pm and 10 pm on August 31 at the NSCI dome in Worli.

On the issues concerning insurance of Govindas, who get injured in the sport, Samant said, Govindas (participants) would be insured.

“The Pro Govinda League will be held on August 31. It will be held on the lines of the Pro Kabaddi League. Govindas (participants) will also have insurance coverage. Around 50,000 Govindas, including 3,500 from Mumbai, can benefit from this event. The event will be held in the indoor dome stadium and it will have a 40-foot Govinda,” he said.

The state industries minister said that a set of rules has also been issued to avoid accidents and in case of a death, the kin of the victim will receive Rs 10 lakh as insurance.

“The first prize comprises a whopping Rs 11 lakh, second Rs 7 lakh, third Rs 5 lakh and fourth Rs 3 lakh,” Samant added.

MLC Satyajeet Tambe said that the Pro Govinda League will take the sport to new heights.

“Dahi Handi is indeed an adventurous sport that has a cultural background. Now that it has been recognised as a sport, the league will ensure that the sport is taken to new heights. It will also recognise and promote the Govindas and also prove to be a career option without being restricted to mere enthusiasts,” Tambe said.

Satyajeet Tambe, MLC from the Nashik Division Graduates’ constituency, further said that the Pro Govinda League will also ensure that the sport is not restricted to just the festival day but can be practised all year.

“Ultimately, come to think of it, every sport comes with its dangers. But when done safely, every sport can be enjoyed responsibly,” he said.

This comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde on the occasion of Janmashtami, last year, recognised Dahi-Handi as a sport in Maharashtra.

The festival of Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated on a large scale across Maharashtra and several Dahi Handi (earthen pots filled with yoghurt) competitions are conducted on the occasion. In the event, participants called “Govindas”, dressed in colorful clothes, make a human pyramid to reach the pot hung mid-air, and break it.

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