Over 150 Cameras, 250 crew members, Doordarshan ups the ante for KIUG 2021

Doordarshan is broadcasting an all day (0700-1900) live stream for the games on DD Sports. Five Outside Broadcasting (OB) vans are deployed for the games. Over 150 cameras, manned by more than 85 camerapersons are constantly on the move at the multiple campuses hosting the events in Bengaluru. Every live event has a minimum of 8 cameras at the venue. Every OB Van, in addition, is equipped with two slow motion cameras and two EVs.

Khel Today Bureau

Bengaluru: With 20 disciplines conducted over 10 days, and over 200 Universities in the fray for medals, the Khelo India University Games 2021 are, by far, the biggest multi-disciplinary university event to be held in India ever.

The event is also the first large-scale multi-disciplinary event public broadcaster Doordarshan has taken on since the National Games 2015. And with the evolution in technology, broadcasting techniques, and livestreams over the past few years, India’s oldest broadcasting service has kept in step.

Doordarshan is broadcasting an all day (0700-1900) live stream for the games on DD Sports. Five Outside Broadcasting (OB) vans are deployed for the games. Over 150 cameras, manned by more than 85 camerapersons are constantly on the move at the multiple campuses hosting the events in Bengaluru. Every live event has a minimum of 8 cameras at the venue. Every OB Van, in addition, is equipped with two slow motion cameras and two EVs.

In addition, the Prasad Bharati sports YouTube channel has five separate livestreams everyday. Four are sports specific and a fifth replicates the DD Sports feed. Through the day, Doordarshan is also sending highlight packages, through their social media feeds to over 10 million subscribers. Eleven additional ENG setups gather feeds which are compiled into highlight and interview packages to be put out later in the day.

In addition to a massive pan India technical crew — the total number of personnel are over 250 — the broadcaster has also brought onboard 35 Hindi and English commentators for the event. Three anchored shows, through the day, analyse and preview the day’s events.

“In my 47 years as a commentator, this may well be the largest multi-disciplinary event I have seen ever conducted at this level,” commentator Milind Wagle said.

” With changing times, technological innovation is necessary, but it has also forced us to evolve and learn, which is very valuable. We are now able to bring in various inputs, analysis and expertise seamlessly into our commentary, hoping it also makes for pleasurable viewing.”

There is no doubt that live coverage on a public broadcaster’s feed has been a boon for many athletes, currently at the games. Weightlifter Chirag Waghavale, from Savitribai Phule Pune University said that the broadcast meant his family and friends could watch him compete for once, without having to be there at the venue in person. “Weightlifting isn’t the most popular sport and most of the time our competitions are not on TV,” he said. “But Khelo India puts it on TV. My friends, family watched my lifts. My neighbours also did.”

“It convinces everyone around that what I am doing is not in vain,” he laughed.

DD News is also giving wonderful coverage through their reporters.

About Khelo India University Games 2021:

The second edition of the Khelo India University Games will be hosted in Bengaluru with Jain Deemed-to-be University as the host University for the Games. The competition, which is being organized by the Government of Karnataka, along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, will be held from 24th April to 3rd May 2022

KIUG 2021 will witness over 3,800 participants from around 180 universities battle it out across 20 disciplines, which include indigenous sports like Mallakhamba and yogasana.

A first-of-its-kind mobile application has also been developed for the Games which will facilitate the participants during their time in the tournament.

The Khelo India University Games aims to provide a platform for University students to showcase their talent and catch the eyeballs of the national team selectors for various sports.