Minister for Horticulture, Syed Basharat Bukhari today said that events like water sports create awareness among the younger generation about the importance of water bodies, besides enhancing individual’s physical and mental fitness.The Minster was speaking at a flag-off ceremony of annual Dal swim mega event organized by a private school Tyndale Biscoe here.The Minister appreciated the school management for organizing the event and said conducting extra-curricular activities is helpful in exploring the talent, besides creating awareness about the significance of State’s natural resources and water bodies particularly Dal Lake.Mr. Bukhari said that other than physical and mental development, sports activities also help an individual to gain self-confidence, key to excel in any field of life. He said sports also help to grooming youth and inculcates qualities required to become global leaders who tomorrow can play a positive role in making a better society.
Wishing the participants good luck, Mr. Bukhari said the State has an abundance of raw talent in various fields of sports which with right mentoring and exposure at national and international level could help them to earn great laurels.He also appreciated the school administration for making special arrangements to ensure safety of the participants.School administration informed the Minister that the event is organized every year after imparting proper training to the participants.Students from both junior and senior wings of Tyndale Biscoe participated in the event. The participants covered 5.5-kilometres cross and 11 kilometers re-cross distance by swimming from Nehru Park to Nishat.The participants were cheered up by number of people including parents. Since early morning the enthused students lined up at Nehru Park to participate in the mega event keeping up with old tradition of the school.Principal of the School Parvez Samuel Koul, parents of the participants and school administration staff was also presents on the occasion.