Bastar: The three-day Bastar Olympics are set to conclude on Saturday after witnessing impressive participation from athletes drawn from across the seven districts of the region, once known as a Maoist stronghold.

Around 3,500 athletes from the districts of Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Sukma and Jagdalpur, along with participants from the ‘Nua Baat’ category, took part in the divisional-level Bastar Olympics.

The ‘Nua Baat’ category includes former Maoists who have surrendered and joined the mainstream. In the local Bastar dialect, ‘Nua Baat’ translates to a new path, symbolising a fresh beginning for those who have given up violence.

Under the initiative, the Chhattisgarh government provides an honorarium of Rs 3 crore, Rs 2 crore and Rs 1 crore to competitors wh

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