Dr Eugene D'Souza

Mangaluru, Oct 10: The first ever district level three-day long School Athletics Meet was hosted on Monday, October 9, by St Lawrence Educational Institutions. The meet commenced with a grand procession and inaugural function.

A large number of students from St Lawrence Educational Institutions, teachers and members of Women’s Organization of St Lawrence Parish Stree Sanghatan and Shri Khestra Dharmasthala Self Help Group with 'Kalasas’ participated in the procession accompanied by the school band and 'chende’.
 
Fr Clement Mascarenhas, correspondent of St Lawrence Educational Institutions flagged off the procession from the premises of Church Aided Higher Primary School. The procession passed through the main road of Moodubelle, entered the main gate of the church and passed through the road by the side of the cemetery and entered the grounds of St Lawrence PU College.

The ground was prepared for the mega event. A gigantic stage was erected for the grand inaugural function. The inaugural function was presided over by Vinay Kumar Sorake, MLA, Kaup constituency. Other dignitaries on the dais included Dinakara Babu, president of Udupi zilla panchayat, Dr Fr Lawrence D’Souza, secretary of CESU, Sheela K Shetty, vice president of Udupi zilla panchayat, Nalini Pradeep Rao, president of Udupi taluk panchayat, Wilson Rodrigues, member of Udupi  zilla panchayt,  Ranjani Hegde, president of Belle grama panchayat, Sujata Suvarna, member of Udupi taluk panchayat, Fr Clement Mascarenhas, correspondent of St Lawrence Educational Institutions, Fr Denis D’Sa, PRO of Udupi diocese, Fr Alphonse D’Lima, rector of Diocesan Minor Seminary, Fr Lawrence Cutinha, assistant parish priest,  Rajesh M V, assistant general manager, Syndicate Bank Udupi, Mukunda Kamat, businessman, Moodubelle, Vincent Fernandes, vice president of Parish Council, Gerld Fernandes, president of PTA,  A K Alva, former vice president of Parish Council, Shekar, deputy director of Department of Public Education, Udupi, Venkatesh Nayak, Udupi zonal education officer, Madhukar S, district physical education officer, Shekar Gowda C Patil, Udupi  taluk physical education officer, Leena D’Silva, headmistress of St Lawrence Kannada Medium High School, Veera Fernandes, headmistress of St Lawrence English Medium High School, Sr Irene Viegas, headmistress of Church Aided Higher Primary School and Valerian Crasta, secretary of District School Athletics Organizing Committee.

Prior to the beginning of the formal inaugural function, athletes from five zones - Byndoor, Kundapur, Brahmavar, Udupi and Karkala assembled in the ground and held the march-past. Wilson Rodrigues received the salute from the athletes during the march past.
 
Soon after the march past, Dinakara Babu hoisted the Udupi Distict Athletics flag. Thereafter, the sports flame was brought to the ground and was taken to the stage where the guests raised it and was then handed over to Shreya Acharya Moodubelle, alumna, who is also a national level volleyball player. On arriving at the flame stand she handed over the flame to Mukunda Kamat, one of the chief donors, who lit the stand with the flame.

The stage function began with prayer song by students of St Lawrence PU College. Thereafter, Shekar, deputy director of Public Education, Udupi District welcomed the guests.

Madhukar S, Udupi District physical education officer in his introductory remarks said that in view of advancing the National School Athletics Meet from January 2018 to Novembr 2017, the state level and district level school athletics meets had to be held in advance. Around 600 athletes from five zones of the district would participate in the District Level School Athletics Meet out of which 120 athletes would  represent the district at the state level competition that is to be held at Belagavi on October 16 and 17, for secondary level and at Bengaluru for primary level. While secondary level athletes would participate in 17 track and field games, primary school athletes will compete in 10 events. The National Level School Athletics Championship will be held at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from November 5 to 12.

District Level School Athletics Meet was formally inaugurated by the dignitaries by releasing the tricolor balloons.
 
Atish Kumar, tenth standard student and athlete from St Lawrence Kannada Medium High School, Moodubelle took the aoth on behalf of all the athletes participating in the competition.

Chandrashekar Shetty Gujjadi took the oath on behalf of all the physical education teachers who will be supervising the competitions.
 
In his message, Dr Lawrence D’Souza, secretary of CESU said that in this age of competition, sport is one field that brings best among the sportsmen and women. It is common knowledge that defeat is difficult to digest. However, sports should enable each and everyone to take victory and defeat in sportsmanlike manner and promote human values.

Dinakara Babu, president of Udupi Zilla Panchayat in his address said that all students who would qualify and win in the state and national level athletics meet will be felicitated by the Udupi Zilla Panchayat.
 
Sheela K Shetty, vice president of Udupi Zilla Panchayat and Nalini Pradeep Rao, president of Udupi Taluk Panchayat encouraged the athletes to perform well in their competition.
 
After honouring the donors who had contributed more than Rs 50,000 towards the expenses of the athletics meet, Fr Clement Mascarenhas expressed gratitude to all those who had helped in organising the District Level School Athletics Meet under the aegis of St Lawrence Educational Institutions, especially the education department, heads of the institutions and their staff members and generous donors.
 
On the occasion, Vinay Kumar Sorake felicitated Shreya Acharya Moodubelle, national level volleyball player, for her achievements.

In his presidential address, Vinaya Kumar Sorake complimented Fr Clement Mascarenhas and all the staff members and donors for hosting the athletics meet. He further said that Udupi Distirct has been known in the country as one of the leading districts in education, especially for the SSLC and PUC. Our country has been known for religious and cultural diversities. However, sports is such a field where all these differences melt and everyone strives towards performing his or her best and bring honour to his or her district, state and country. 
 
Three zones which were judged as per their performance during the march past were honoured by presenting them  trophies by the dignitaries. The three zones were - Baindoor, in the third place, Brahmavar in the second place and Udupi, in the first place.

Leena D’Sa, headmistress of St Lawrence Kannada Medium High School proposed the vote of thanks.
 
Satischandra Shetty, physical education teacher of Chitrapadi School, Saligrama, Maxim D’Sa, president of Old Students Association and Edward Larsen D’Souza, lecturer of Political Science of St Lawrence PU College compered the programme.