Moodubelle: Udupi Zonal Inter-school Kabaddi tournament at St. Lawrence Composite PU College

Report and Pictures by Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 07 August 2010:  The inter-school Udupi Zonal level Kabaddi Tournament was held on the grounds of   St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle on Saturday, 7 August 2010. As many as 14 schools from the Udupi Zone of the Taluk participated in the tournament. The intermittent rain neither dampened the spirit of the school kabaddi teams nor the enthusiasm of their supporters.

Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Correspndent of the Parish educational institutions presided over the inaugural function. Vittal Shetty, Udupi Taluk Physical Education Officer was the chief guest. Mrs. Jacintha Aranha, president of the Belle Grama Panchayat, Gerald Fernandes, president of the Social Justice Committee, Udupi Zilla Panchayat and Narayan Rao, Udupi Taluk Youth and Sports Department were the guests of honour. Other guests included Devdas Hebbar, Gilbert D’Souza, Henry Aranha, Mrs. Shilpa Nayak and Narayan Karkera, president and vice-president of the Parents-Teachers Association respectively and Alphonse Alva.

Fr. Paul Sequeira, principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College welcomed the guests.  Gerald Fernandes, Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Mrs. Jacintha Aranha and Vittal Shetty formally inaugurated the Zonal Kabaddi Tournament by lighting the lamp. 

Addressing the students and guests, the chief guest, Vittal Shetty appreciated the fact that the inauguration function was held exactly at the given time of 9.30 am and praised the host institution for making excellent arrangements for conducting the tournament. In her message, Mrs. Jacintha Aranha wished all the school kabaddi teams participating in the tournament success. In his presidential address Fr. Joswey Fernandes narrated the origin of the game of Kabaddi in India and its techniques and emphasised the importance of the game saying that there have been world cup tournaments in the game of Kabaddi.

Fr. Arun Mendonca compeered the inaugural programme and Mrs. Hilda Aranha proposed the vote of thanks.

According to Vittal Shetty, Udupi Taluk Physical education Officer as there are around 135 high schools in the entire Udupi taluk, for educational purpose the taluk has been divided into two zones-Udupi Zone and Brahmavara Zone. In Udupi Zone there are 72 high schools. As different schools give importance to different games, only 14 highs schools have sent their teams to the Zonal level tournament in Kabaddi. The winning team at the Zonal level will participate at the district level tournament followed by the division level and finally at the state level.

The inter-school kabaddi tournament was conducted in three courts. All the teams put up very good performance. Though the ground was wet, it did not hamper the smooth conduct of the tournament. 

 

After the elimination rounds, the teams of Sagar Vidyamandir English Medium High School, Padubidri and Mahalakshmi English Medium High School, Uchila faced each other in the final competition. Before the start of the final match, Fr. Paul Sequeira, the Principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College, Moodubelle was introduced to both the teams and the refrees and the time keeper.

The competition between the two teams was quite tough. Ultimatley, it was Mahalakshmi English Medium High School of Uchila emerged as the champions of the udupi Zone Inter-school Kabaddi Tournament and Sagar Vidyamandir English Medium High School, Padubidri had to be satisfied as the runners up.

Sagar Vidyamandir English Medium High School, Padubidri-Runners Up

Mahalakshmi English Medium High School, Uchila-Winners

Fr. Paul Sequeira gave away the certificates and shields to the runners up and the winners of the tournament. Speaking at the valedictory function, Fr. Paul while congratulating the winners and runners up appreciated the smooth conduct of the tournament by the officials. Though there was interruption in the morning while the tournament had commenced, later the sky cleared and the remaining matches went off without any disturbance till the end of the final match.