Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the grand opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan and greeted the Indian contingent as it entered the venue carrying the Tricolour. India has sent an 87-member contingent to the Games, comprising 73 athletes, 10 cultural representatives and four participants in the scientific programme. Modi waved to the Indian contingent as its members marched into the arena during the opening ceremony.
Traditional sports take centre stage
The sixth edition of the World Nomad Games is being held in Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 6, bringing together athletes and participants from across the world for competitions and programmes celebrating traditional sports, culture and the heritage of nomadic civilisations.
Athletes from more than 100 countries are participating in the event, which features traditional disciplines associated particularly with Central Asian cultures. Competitions include horseback archery, different forms of wrestling and traditional intellectual and board games, among other events.
The opening ceremony featured cultural and musical performances alongside an Olympic-style parade of participating contingents, reflecting the Games’ combination of competitive sport and the preservation of traditional cultural practices.
The World Nomad Games were first held in Kyrgyzstan in 2014 and have since developed into an international platform for showcasing indigenous and nomadic sporting traditions. Kyrgyzstan is hosting the event again for its sixth edition.
World leaders attend ceremony
Modi attended the ceremony during his official visit to Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov. Several other world leaders were also present, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The Prime Minister is in Bishkek for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, being held on August 31 and September 1. The summit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SCO.
Modi is scheduled to address the SCO gathering and highlight India’s priorities centred on security, connectivity and opportunity. He has also been holding bilateral meetings with leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
The World Nomad Games ceremony formed part of Modi’s engagements during his Kyrgyzstan visit, which followed his state visit to Uzbekistan.