The Department of Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS), in collaboration with the Swaniti Initiative (NGO), inaugurated the “Nasha Mukt Bharat ke liye Khelo Tripura” Programme in July 2023. This transformative initiative aims to empower individuals affected by substance abuse, establish a robust support system to reduce relapse rates, and create an inclusive sports ecosystem for the holistic development of Tripura’s youth.
The programme commenced with a 5-day training session for over 100 volleyball coaches held from July 11-15, in Agartala. These certified coaches have since been guiding and mentoring players across all 8 districts of Tripura. Furthermore, nutritious evening snacks have been provided to participating youth after each daily volleyball session to encourage their sustained participation.
The pioneering progress achieved under this program came to the fore with the launch of a state-level volleyball tournament on October 13th, 2023, with support from the YAS Department and Swaniti Initiative. The tournament unfolded in phases, commencing with intra-block level matches within respective blocks, then moving on to inter-block level matches spanning across the districts. Subsequently, inter-subdivision matches were hosted within the districts, leading up to the culmination with inter-district matches, semi-final, and final matches in Agartala on 5th November 2023.
This tournament has been a resounding success in not only fostering active youth engagement in sports but also inculcating values of teamwork and discipline among the participants. Additionally, the program has effectively raised awareness about the deleterious impact of drug abuse on individual health and society at large.
