Cultural heritage of North-Eastern states will be showcased during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games next year. This will include both folk dance and music of North-Eastern states. This has been revealed by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit during a meeting with the students’ Union leaders and MPs of North-Eastern states.
A number of office bearers of North Eastern students union along with MPs Oscar Fernandes, Takom Sanjoy (Arunachal Pradesh) and Dr. Thokchom Meniya (Manipur) called on Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit at Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday regarding their security of the students of North-eastern states. The Chief Minister assured them about the security of students and said that four round the clock toll free numbers are made functional for these students for anytime help.
She assured that her Government will facilitate commissioning of a hostel for North-eastern students in South Delhi. Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Kashyap who was present in the meeting, informed that 4 ACP level dedicated officers have been deployed to take care of issues related to NE students. It has also been decided to intensify patrolling of PCR vans to instill confidence in students. Delhi woman and child welfare minister Kiran Walia and Principal Secretary Home G.S. Patnayak were also present.

She said that cultural items based on NE folk dances have also been included in extravaganza to be presented during CWG. She invited office bearers of NE students union to come forward and avail of grant opportunities being provided by her Government under different cultural schemes. Dikshit added that Delhi is a cosmopolitan city where people of every province, language and religion live together with full harmony. We all are committed to enrich our composite culture.

As Commonwealth Games 2010 is coming closer the sports related activities are increasing in the national capital Delhi, venue for the CW games. Over 3200 boys and girls from 218 schools of the capital city participated in a cross country race on Sunday to boost the morale of the people and to create awareness among them for the mega sports event.
Sushil Kumar, bronze medalist in the Beijing Olympics 2008, Yuki Bhambri, winner of Australian Open Junior Tennis Championship and Olympian and Table Tennis player Neha Aggarwal too were present in the occasion. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Educaton Minister Arvindar Singh flagged off the Cross Country Race from Rajkiya Pratibha ViKash Vidyalaya, Surajmal Vihar.
According to a senior officer of the Education Department candidates, who have participated in the race may get chance to become volunteer in the CW games. Since there are a need of about 40,000 volunteers during the games for different kind of activities schoolchildren will certainly play an important role in it, he says.
Sujata, 12th class student from GGSS School, Vivek Vihar has won the race in girls category and student of GBSS School, Mahabir, 9th class has also won the race in the boys category and cash prize of Rs. 11,000/- distributed to the above first winners.
Educaton Minister Arvindar Singh said on the occasion that this race was being organized by Directorate of Education to create awareness amongst school students. He further said that more than 3200 Boys and Girls students from 218 schools of District East and North East has participated in the race belongings to the age of under 19 years. Each school nominated 15 students foe the race where distance for the Boys was 7 km and for the Girls 5 km, he added. (10958)