Ongole: 2-day Seventh AP Women's Handball tourney begins

Ongole: The two-day Seventh Andhra Pradesh Women's Handball Championship organised by the Prakasam district Handball Association was inaugurated at Dr P Anand's Mini Stadium in Ongole on Saturday.

The Prakasam District Handball Association president PM Narasimha Rao presided over the inaugural function while Vijayawada Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, Ongole Mayor Gangada Sujatha and others participated as the chief guests. Speaking at the programme, Bhagyalakshmi said that the government was providing many opportunities to the players and advised them to utilise them without fail.

She said that at the personal level she was also encouraging participation in sports and encouraging her daughter to participate in sports and games.

Ongole Mayor Sujatha asked the players to derive the benefit provided through reservations under the sports quota to secure State and Central government jobs and to scale greater heights in life.

Secretary of AP Handball Association P Satyanarayana Raju said that with the cooperation of all 13 districts' associations they would strive to provide better facilities for the players and hold regular tournaments.

He appreciated the president and secretary of the Prakasam district Handball Association PM Narasimha Rao, J Koteswara Rao, AP Handball Referees Board chairman P Vijay Kumar and others for making great arrangements within a short span of time.

STEP CEO T Ravi Kumar, Ongole Deputy Mayor Vemuri Suryanarayana, Chennakesava Swamy temple trust board chairman Edupalli Gurunatha Rao, APPETs Association general secretary Y Srinaiah, master athletics secretary P Sivasankar, and various PETs and PDs from all districts also participated in the programme.