Sports director and former Indian hockey captain, Pargat Singh announced that the state would host the first edition of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Punjab Games from February 28.

The week-long happenstance which would be held across Ludhiana, Mohali, Patiala and Jalandhar will witness several athletes competing in 11 different disciplines for prize a money of Rs 21 lakh in each event.

"The Games have been divided into three groups. The first group consists of hockey and shooting.

"Hockey event would be conducted at Jalandhar and shooting at Mohali. Boxing, weight lifting, wrestling and volleyball would be held at Patiala while athletics, basketball, football, kabaddi and tug of war will be conducted at Ludhiana.

"The matches would be played under the floodlights," Singh said.

The former captain added that the Punjab Government was making concerted efforts to develop sports in the state and one of the motives to hold the Games was to encourage the youth to join the sports and to wean away them from drugs and sedentary life style.

He also mentioned that the current Indian hockey team captain, Rajpal Singh, and athletes like Mandeep Kaur and Manjeet Kaur would represent their respective districts during the event.

The director added that the opening ceremony which would be held at Guru Nanak Stadium in ludhiana will be attended by Bollywood star Akshay Kumar while the closing ceremony, to be held at Burlton Park, Jalandhar, would be graced by son-of-the-soil and yesteryears star Dharmendra and his family.