Anticipation is building in Thiruvananthapuram as 1,944 student athletes from across Kerala prepare to compete for glory at the State School Athletic Meet. Beginning this Wednesday, October 22, the event will span 12 venues across the city, where competitors will strive to make those crucial split-second differences that determine victory and defeat.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is scheduled to officially open the meet with a dazzling curtain-raiser event on Tuesday evening at the Kerala University Stadium. The ceremony will feature an impressive parade and pageantry, setting a vibrant tone for the upcoming field and track competitions.
Workers are currently making last-minute preparations at the Central Stadium, hurrying to relay sections of the synthetic track. These efforts come as the intensifying north-east monsoon poses a threat of disruptions to Wednesday’s events.
Warm Welcome for Student Athletes from the Gulf
General Education Minister V. Sivankutty extended a special welcome to 35 student athletes arriving from State syllabus schools in the Gulf region. Officials confirmed that comprehensive arrangements have been made by the government to facilitate the arrival of all students at various railway stations and bus stands throughout the day.
To ensure comfort and convenience, the government has organized accommodation for all student athletes across 74 schools within the city. Transportation will be seamless, with 142 KSRTC buses dedicated to shuttling students between their camps and the competition venues. Furthermore, an extensive community kitchen and mess have been established at Putharikandam Maidan in East Fort, capable of providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This large-scale kitchen is fully prepared to serve up to 2,500 individuals daily, including all participating officials and volunteers. Safety is a top priority, with Fire and Rescue Services department officials having conducted thorough inspections of both the competition venues and the dining facilities to ensure fire and structural safety.
Inaugural Theme Song
For the very first time, the State School Athletic Meet will feature its own dedicated theme song. The government actively engaged school students by inviting submissions for both lyrics and musical compositions. A distinguished jury ultimately chose the lyrics penned by V. Praful Das, a Plus Two student from Porassery Higher Secondary School in Palakkad. The winning musical composition was created by Sivasankari P. Thankachi, a talented Class 9 student at Cotton Hill Girls High School, Thiruvananthapuram.
Live Coverage and Real-time Updates
To keep everyone informed, the government has launched a dedicated portal, making it easy for the public to access real-time results and track the progress of all field and track events. Student athletes, teachers, and parents will also be able to download official certificates of achievement directly from the website. For those who can’t attend in person, live coverage of the heats will be available on the Kite Victers YouTube channel and the E-Vidya Kerala channel.