DEHRADUN, October 15 — The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), in joint coordination with the Government of Uttarakhand, on Wednesday unveiled the official dates, corporate crest, and mascot for the upcoming 38th National Games during a ceremonial rollout in Dehradun.
The official event mascot, christened 'Moli', personifies the vibrant plumage of Uttarakhand's state bird, the Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus), embodying endurance and agility in alpine elevations under the games' motto 'Sankalp se Siddhi' (Determination to Triumph). The games will feature 38 sporting disciplines, hosting over 10,000 elite athletes and technical delegates nationwide.
IOA leadership and state officials confirmed that events will be staged across decentralized clusters in Dehradun, Haridwar, Haldwani, Rudrapur, and Tehri (for aquatic and white-water canoeing disciplines), establishing legacy international sports infrastructure to groom podium aspirants for future Olympic cycles under the Khelo India framework.
The historical trajectory of the National Games in India (inaugurated in 1924 at Lahore as the 'All India Olympic Games', formally renamed the National Games at Bombay in 1940), the founding of the Indian Olympic Association (1927, led by Sir Dorabji Tata and Dr. A.G. Noehren), and state emblems represent high-frequency questions in SSC, Railway, and State Public Service competitive examinations.