School Meet 2009 : A Success Story

Oinam Anand *

There were full of life and activities during the last week of September 2009 in the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, Imphal. While most of the students in the four valley districts of Manipur shied away from school due to the class boycott call of some of the students' organisations, the Sports complex was full with students coming from nine districts of Manipur to meet for the second time in the School Meet - 2009. The weather God was also kind enough to keep the sky clear during the whole week.

The School Meet was organised first in 2008 by the Directorate of Education(S) Government of Manipur as an experiment with Sainik School Imphal doing the job of a host School. The response exceeded all expectations and it was decided that the Meet would be an annual event of the students of Government High and Higher Secondary of the nine districts of Manipur.

In the early 70's Annual School Sports Meets at Zonal level were held in the Schools of Manipur. But after sometime it was discontinued and the students were devoid of having such get-together for the last 25/30 years.

The newborn School Meet is somewhat different in form and texture from the School Sports Meet. The School Meet was organised by the Directorate of Education(S) Government of Manipur with a view to inculcating the sense of integrity among the students of Manipur and to expose them not only to some sporting events but also to a different environment even for a short period (of about a week) so that the students can know more about their friends of different districts.

Altogether 394 boys and 288 girls from nine districts of Manipur converged in the Green Khuman Lampak Sports Complex on the evening of 25th September 2009. The girls' contingents were housed in the rooms of the Hockey Stadium and the boys' contingents were camped on the first floor of the Circular Indoor Stadium.

The opening ceremony was adorned with the presence of His Excellency, Governor of Manipur Shri Gurbachan Jagat as the Chief Guest. The long March past of the contingents representing the 9 districts of Manipur headed by K Bishorjit, a student of Konjing Leikai H/S, Imphal West, gave salute to the Governor. The students of Sainik School Imphal provide the Band Music for the contingents.

Y Robika Devi of Lamlong Higher Secondary School took the oath on behalf of the students, with the word 'The School Meet - 09 opened' announced by His Excellency, the Governor of Manipur, the sporting events began with Mukna competition.

During the hours of sunlight in the whole week that is from the 26th to 30th Sept, the tracts of the main Stadium were busy with students competing in 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres races, Football matches were performed in the standby football ground and the Indoor Stadium was full with Kho-Kho and Volleyball matches.

The competition for the tract and field events as well as the team events were grouped under two categories Junior and Senior section. Students reading in Classes VI - VIII were put in Junior section and students reading in Classes IX - XII were put in Senior category.

As the sun approached the western hill ranges and the shadows lengthen the entire sports complex was glowed with lights (thanks for the uninterrupted power supply during the sports meet). At this hour the students after having tea, gathered in the Kangshang which was specially arranged for the get-together function of the evenings.

The students themselves even after long hours of competition in tracts and fields were in high spirits. In this session special guests were invited. Prominent personalities like the Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Canchipur, the SPs of Imphal East and Imphal West had good hours of interaction with the students while singers like Sadananda and comedians like Hemanta enthralled the young minds with their song and comic activities.

In these interaction session of the evenings, many boys and girls found an opportunity to show their talents in different items like singing, dancing, elocution, quiz, mimicry, etc. They had indulged in many joys afforded in the Kangsang.

The catering system was excellent. The quality of food items provided to the students was good. Serving more than 1000 people at a time for the whole week was a mammoth task, but those who were responsible for it had done their work well.

The School Meet was closed on the evening of 30th Sept 2009 with the Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri O Ibobi Singh as the Chief Guest of the function. He closed the School Meet expressing his optimism that such activities will foster unity among the youth of Manipur and instill in them a sense of patriotism and team spirit.

In the School Meet, Bishnupur won the overall team Champion and Imphal West got the runners-up title. Imphal West topped in the March past competition followed by Tamenglong and Ukhrul.

In overall assessment of the School Meet, it was a tremendous success. It is worth to mention that there is a man behind this success story. He is none other than the present Director of Education(S), Shri M Harekrishna. I am sure the School Meet is his brainchild as he expressed in one of the meetings of the teachers when he assumed the office first that he had a will to revive the long lost School Sports Meet in a new format.

His work, beyond most others, vividly showed what a powerful and scrupulous will could accomplish. He threw his whole direct upon the work. He enjoyed every moment during the Sports Meet - 09. Very often he came down to the level of high School going students mixed with them, dined with them. He even played the role of an anchor or a Quiz Master during the Cultural programmes of the evening.

At the same time he threw his whole fore of body and mind direct upon to make the event a successful one. He spared no one, not even himself and his influence inspired the men in the Education Department and put a new dimension in the School Meet which clearly showed that School life of the students would lose half of its charm without sports and co-curricular activities.

His Excellency, the Governor of Manipur had in his inaugural address expressed, "The School Meet - 09 will go a long way in easing tension and conflict situation in the State".

Let us hope so.