Competitions for budding talents, felicitation of sportspersons, walkathon to create awareness on sports as a means to keep healthy and fit were among the various events organised in the city in connection with National Sports Day celebrations on Monday.
A walkathon was organised by Waltair Division’s East Coast Railway Sports Association from the East Point Rest House to RK Beach and back.
Sports personnel, E Co R WWO members, officers and staff of Waltair Division participated in the walkathon.
India celebrates National Sports Day on August 29 every year to commemorate Major Dhyan Chand, widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players in history. The objective is to raise awareness about the importance of physical activity and healthy lifestyle.
The sports heroes and champions are honoured on the occasion. The first National Sports Day was observed on August 29, 2012. Known as the “Hockey Wizard”, Major Dhyan Chand was born on this date in 1905.
Speaking on the occasion, Divisional Railway Manager Anup Satpathy said that the primary objective of National Sports Day was to promote the importance of sports and encourage people to be physically active.
E Co RWWO president Parijata Satpathy, ADRM (Infra) Sudhir Kumar Gupta, Sports Officer Pradeep Yadav, Assistant Sports Officers M. Haranath, B. Avinash, officers and other sports personnel participated in the walkathon.
At a separate programme, the 2002 batch students of KDPM School organised various events for the present students to mark National Sports Day.
D. Lakshmipathi of the Alumni Association said that badges and refreshments were arranged for 1,000 students to mark the occasion. School Principal Sumati Bhai, Physical Director Ratnam, Alumni Association representatives N. Butchi Raju. Ch. Saroja and P.V. Siva Kusuma were among those who participated.
The District Sports Association organised competitions in basketball, boxing, gymnastics, weightlifting, taekwando, hockey and swimming on August 26, 27 and 28 as part of the celebrations.
A rally was orgaised at the AU Grounds and the statue of Major Dhyan Chand was garlanded by the participants on Monday
Sportspersons, who obtained medals at the national-level and the winners of the above mentioned competitions were felicitated at a programme organised at the SAAP Indoor Stadium at Gopalapatnam on Monday.
Zilla Parishad CEO M. Vijay Kumar, Board Director, SAAP, Jonnada Srinivasa Rao, District Sports Authority CEO P. Nageswara Rao, Chief Trainer N. Surya Rao, District Coordinator of Nehru Yuva Kendra Mahesh, Olympian M.V. Manikyalu, Dronacharya awardee I. Venkateswara Rao, Dhyan Chand awardee N. Usha and Weightlifting Federation of India secretary K. Suryanarayana were among those who participated.
An Inter-School Sports Quiz was conducted by RINL-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. De Paul School emerged winner of the quiz.
De Paul School, represented by Ronnaq Siddiqui and Chaitanya Naresh, emerged winner.
Kendriya Vidyalaya, Steel Plant, represented by K. Deva and R. Afreen, was the runner-up while Delhi Public School, represented by Soham Swarup Behara and Priyanshu Prateik Rout, finished third.
J. Rahul, DGM (HRD) conducted the Sports quiz.
Earlier, G. Gandhi Chief General Manager (HR-Corp. Services) inaugurated the event in the presence of F. K. Lakra CGM (TA, Law & Contracts) M. S. Kumar GM (Sports) Y. Chandrasekhar GM & HOD (Town Administration) and R. P. Sharma, GM (CC) I/c.
