Hundreds of participants compete in first-ever Alberta Sikh Games in northeast Calgary

The first Alberta Sikh Games took place this weekend, with over 800 participants at the Genesis Centre in northeast Calgary.

The first-ever Alberta Sikh Games launched this weekend at the Genesis Centre in northeast Calgary.

Produced by the Dashmesh Cultural Centre, the weekend features hundreds of participants from 10 years old to adults competing in soccer, basketball, field hockey, volleyball, badminton, gatka -- a Sikh martial art -- and other events.

“More than 800 people are participants in the games,” said Ravinder Singh, general secretary of the Dashmesh Cultural Center.

Volunteer Mehar Jot Singh said the event was a fun way to activate kids and reconnect with his community.

“It’s really nice to see community getting together to hold these events,” he said. “It’s really nice connecting back to community and helping out.

“(We) decided to have this event as a way for kids to get together and play a role in drug awareness as well,” he added. “(Just) being connected and creating a difference – showing sportsmanship."

The Alberta Sikh Games poster tagline is ‘Chardikla through sports’ -- chardikla means “aspiring to maintain a mental state of eternal resilience, optimism and joy, an acceptance that life ebbs and flows with hardship and to rise above that adversity.”