Ace Indian athlete and the country’s lone World Athletics Championship medallist Anju Boby George has lauded Qatar’s administrators for dedicating  the second Tuesday of February as National Sport Day. “With its decision to dedicate a whole day for celebrating the National Sport Day,  Qatar has proved to be role model to emulate for many other sport-loving countries,” said Anju while delivering the keynote address at a sport fest organised by members of Indian expatriate forum Chaliyar Doha at Wakrah Sport Club yesterday.
Prominent sport personality from Qatar, Nada Zeidan, was also present at the celebrations.
Anju said the Sport Day concept is laudable as Qatar is among a handful of countries across the world which have dedicated a whole day for sport. The bronze medallist in the women’s long jump at the 2003 World Athletics Championship said Qatar was a happy hunting ground for her as the place served as a lucky venue before each of her successful seasons.  While recalling her winning medals at the meets held in Qatar, including Asian Games (2006) and Qatar Grand Prix, the athlete remembered that she received applause every time she performed here.



Anju Bobby George, holding her baby Andrea, with Qatar sport personality Nada Zeidan leading the rally taken out by Indian expatriate forum Chaliyar Doha from Pearl roundabout to Al Wakrah stadium yesterday.

She had also won a gold medal at the World Athletics Grand Prix at Monte Carlo (2005). Anju was also a bronze medallist in her pet event at the 2002 Commonwealth Games (Manchester 2002).   
The athlete said holding such events as National Sport Day would help the country’s people understand the necessity of leading a healthy life at a time when they are encountering a lot of pressure and difficulties at different levels.
While hailing the Qatari sport authorities for holding a number of events to coincide with the National Sport Day, Anju said their conduct would go a long way in building a sporting culture among the country’s residents.
Earlier the famed athlete, who currently heads the Kerala Sports Council (KSC), flagged off a rally of the members of the Chaliyar Doha from the Pearl Roundabout to the Wakrah Sport Club. More than 1,500 forum members, including several women and children participated in the rally and celebrations followed at the Wakrah Sport Club. Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Wakrah Club officials also were in the forefront of the rally.
The celebrations at Wakrah Sport Club were preceded by a march past, featuring members of the forum, who rallied behind the banners of each panchayat.  Residents of Qatar from as many as 24 panchayats along the banks of 164km-long Chaliyar river in Kerala are members of Chaliyar Doha.
Later in the day Anju  gave away awards to the winners of the competitions held as part of the celebrations.