Exclusive! Asian Games 2023: Indian athletes exploring and enjoying the Eco-friendly Games Village in Hangzhou

The Asian Games 2023 has been a roller-coaster ride for Team India so far who are placed sixth in the latest medals tally with the hope that the numbers will swell as the event progresses.

The athletes have been preparing for this momentous occasion for quite some time now and competing against Asia's best is no mean feat. But as they say, "All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy." The Asian Games 2023 Village in the Chinese city seems to have taken that idea quite literally.

The village is a technological marvel with athletes supremely impressed with the facilities on offer but what has caught them off-guard is the theme of being carbon-neutral this year.

The organisers have left no stone unturned in a bid to make the games as environment-friendly as possible while also allowing athletes to engage in fun-filled activities in a bid to keep spirits high while also enjoying themselves.

Athletes Cleaning Their Plates, Disposing Trash at Asian Games Village

Athletes can accrue points by partaking in these environment-friendly practices in return for gifts which are termed as low-carbon gifts. A few examples include the dining area which is solar-powered and where athletes get to eat on biodegradable plates and they are encouraged to not waste food and when disposing of trash, are asked to place the relevant junk in the correct bins.

"There is an app where our progress is monitored. We take photos of our clean plates and upload them to earn points. Certain places have a QR code that we can scan to see updates on or progression. It is a fun pastime and the facilities are lovely.

"The weather is nice and even walking is encouraged and steps result in higher points so it is a win-win situation for us," India's top table tennis player A Sharath Kamal revealed to myKhel.

Games Village Points Tally - A talk of the town

While in their room, athletes who reuse their toiletries and towels and dispose of their plastic waste in the proper manner all earn points and this points tally is a topic of gossip among athletes who frequently keep sharing their progress.

There are no motor vehicles, mainly electric buggies which can be utilised while there are bicycles as well. Instead of taking the lift or escalator, walking up the stairs is a means to earn points.

There is a shopping centre that encourages plastic-free shopping while keeping your surroundings clean. There are fun games in the village as well and the prizes on offer are quite unique as well.

Most of them are as environment-friendly as possible including plant seeds, paper watches, pins, and emblems with the grand prize being a mascot doll which can be got if one accrues more than 100 points.

"The entire table tennis team is participating in these activities and it is a nice addition to the Asian Games 2023 as it helps to calm yourself or chill away from the hectic schedule.

"We discuss our progress and check out what prizes the others have won. It is fun and quite a unique experience for us athletes," star paddler G Sathiyan told this outlet from Hangzhou.