PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Nainital
The three-day 21st Governor’s Cup Golf Tournament is underway at the iconic Golf Course located inside Lok Bhawan in Nainital. The Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) inaugurated it by teeing off on Friday. A total of 179 golfers from various categories are participating in it. Notably, this year’s tournament has been dedicated to the memory of the former chief minister and Union Minister major general Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri.
The organisers informed that the competition features 110 general category players, 27 junior players (including six girls), nine women players, 20 veteran and four super-veteran category participants. The oldest participant in the tournament is 81-year-old Colonel H C Gupta, and the youngest is seven-year-old Elakshi Rathore.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said that the Governor’s Cup Golf Tournament is not just a sporting event but an effective medium to showcase Uttarakhand’s tourism potential and sporting capabilities. Dedicating this year’s tournament to the memory of late Khanduri, he said that his dedication towards the development of the nation and the state would always be gratefully remembered. Referring to the natural beauty and historical importance of the Lok Bhavan Golf Course in Nainital, he said that this golf course is a wonderful confluence of nature, wildlife conservation and tourism.
Sharing his idea of golf, he said that it is not only a game of physical prowess, but it also helps instil patience, discipline and focus on the goal aside from teaching one on how to remain unperturbed in adverse circumstances.
He stated that in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Fit India and Khelo India visions, sports are becoming a medium for the all-round development of the youth.
On this occasion, the Governor also released the coffee table book titled ‘A Celebration of Golf, Nature and Heritage’ based on Lok Bhawan Golf Course, Nainital.
Present on the occasion were the secretary to the Governor and vice-president of Golf Course Nainital, Ravinath Raman; commissioner, Kumaon Division, Deepak Rawat; district magistrate, Nainital, Lalit Mohan Rayal and senior superintendent of police, Manjunath TC.
