Get ready for an exciting display of young talent! Over 20,000 students are set to participate in the upcoming Kerala School Sports and Games, an event meticulously organized to mirror the grandeur of the Olympic Games. This grand athletic spectacle will kick off this Tuesday in the state capital, promising several days of thrilling competition.
During a recent press conference, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty announced that participants will vie for glory across an impressive 41 events, hosted in 12 different stadiums. To ensure everything runs smoothly, the Director of General Education (DGE), N.S.K. Umesh, will be personally overseeing the preparations and arrangements at each venue.
The spirit of the games will be heralded by the Chief Minister’s trophy procession, which began its journey from Kasaragod on October 16. On Sunday, this prestigious trophy is slated to arrive at the borders of Thiruvananthapuram district, where it will be officially received by the Minister and the DGE at Government Higher Secondary School, Thattathumala. The trophy will then embark on a celebratory tour, receiving enthusiastic receptions at key locations throughout the district on Monday and Tuesday, building anticipation for the main event.
The grand inauguration of the games will take place at University Stadium on Tuesday, following a final reception for the procession at Government Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Pattom, at 10 a.m.
Adding to the ceremonial splendor, a separate torchlight procession will commence from Ernakulam this Sunday. After passing through schools in Alappuzha and Kollam districts with warm welcomes, it will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. This torch will also be honored with receptions at various city schools on Tuesday before it symbolically merges with the Chief Minister’s trophy procession at Government Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Pattom, symbolizing unity and the start of the games.
This year introduces an exciting change: the overall championship trophy for the best school will be awarded in two distinct categories – one for general schools and another for specialized sports schools. However, when determining the district with the highest total points, no such distinction will be made; points earned by both general and sports schools will be combined to ensure fair overall district recognition.
In a move to further encourage athletic excellence, the Minister also revealed a significant increase in prize money for the athletics category in general schools. The first-place prize has been boosted from ₹2.25 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh, second place from ₹1.65 lakh to ₹1.75 lakh, and third place from ₹1.1 lakh to ₹1.25 lakh.
Sports schools participating in the athletics category will also receive substantial prizes: ₹1 lakh for first place, ₹75,000 for second, and ₹50,000 for third.
Emphasizing inclusivity, a remarkable 1,944 students are confirmed to participate in the school games as part of an inclusive sports initiative, ensuring that a wide range of abilities are celebrated.
Further highlighting the event’s reach, 35 students, including 12 girls, from seven schools in the Gulf region that adhere to the State syllabus will also travel to Kerala to take part in these prestigious games.