Guwahati, Nov 16 A body building competition organized here recently to promote a healthy lifestyle has attracted a large number of local youth.

'Association of Bodybuilders Kamrup' organized this body building competition to award the title of Junior Mr. Assam and Senior Mr. Assam.

People were surprised and wondered as the body builders flexed their well-toned muscles. Over more than 100 participants took part in this body building competition from around 18 districts.

Tapan Baishya who judged the competition sensed that India has great potential in this field and looked for good support from the government in near future for such competitions.

"Nowadays, guardians are also supporting the bodybuilding sports, people had a notion that boys who practiced bodybuilding got involved in fights. But now the mass is getting aware of the sport in the state," said Baishya.

Bodybuilding made its first appearance as a competitive discipline in the 2002 Asian Games, held in Pusan in South Korea.

Though bodybuilding is an accepted sport in the west, and has got its roots in India, it is yet to get its recognition here. (ANI)