The spotlight is on Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh as the eagerly awaited consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir approaches on January 22. Pran Pratishtha rituals, commencing on January 19 and extending till January 21, set the stage for the grand event to be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Despite initial expectations of a gathering exceeding 1000 attendees, an official list now comprises 506 distinguished individuals, featuring prominent figures from various sectors. A noteworthy inclusion is the presence of renowned sportspersons who are set to grace the ceremony.
Cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mithali Raj, Rahul Dravid, and Ravindra Jadeja are among the illustrious cricketers invited. The participation of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who are part of the England Test series starting on January 25, remains uncertain.
Notably, Harbhajan Singh, an Aam Aadmi Party member and Rajya Sabha MP, confirmed his attendance, emphasizing the temple's significance. “It is our good fortune that this temple is being built at this time, so we all should go and get the blessings. Whoever goes and whoever doesn't, I will definitely go...” he told media sources.
The comprehensive list of invited sportspersons for the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha Ceremony includes PT Usha, Anil Kumble, Leander Paes, Neeraj Chopra, Pullela Gopichand, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Viswanathan Anand, Karnam Malleshwari, and Gautam Gambhir, among others. The convergence of these icons alongside political figures adds a unique blend of eminence to the momentous occasion.