Education Minister opens East Zone Sainik Schools Sports & Cultural Festival/Championship
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, July 22 2019: The East Zone Sainik Schools Sports & Cultural Festival/Championship, 2019-20 was declared opened today by Education Minister Thokchom Radheshyam.

The championship will be held for five days at the Sainik School, Imphal.

Speaking as the chief guest of the function, the Minister stressed on the importance of maintaining good health.

He said that poor health hampers and hinders in coping with the various chores of school activities.

Health is the most precious wealth for human being, as the saying goes 'a sound mind is in a sound body', he added.

Th Radheshyam opined that the event will create opportunity for the students to become a more complete individual and added such event will help in bringing unity and oneness among the students.

Education Minister opens East Zone Sainik Schools Sports & Cultural Festival/Championship

The Minister stated that the centre as well as the State Government has now made sports and co - curriculum activities as an essential part of education realizing the need to emphasize on holistic approach towards education.

Under Samagra Shiksha, sports and physical education has been made an integral part of School Education, he said.

The scheme covers from pre-school to senior secondary level aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels, the Minister continued.

Principal, Sainik School Imphal, HCS Chauhan said that it is a matter of pride for the school that it is hosting the East Zone Sainik School Sports & Cultural Festival Championship for the second time after 12 years.

He said that the aim of the competition is to promote team spirit, fair play amongst cadets, develop camaraderie amongst cadets and selection of Sainik team for further competitions in the Inert - Zonal and National level.

The inaugural function was attended by the wing commanders, teaching and non-teaching staff and student contingents of six Sainik Schools across the East Zone - Sainik School Purulia, West Bengal; Sainik School Goalpara, Assam; Sainik School Punglwa, Nagaland; Sainik School Chhingchhip, Mizoram and Sainik School East Siang, Arunachal Pradesh along with the hosts team.

The event kicked off with the contingents of six Sainik Schools marching the parade and taking the oath.

The championship will have competition in various events of games & sports and co - curricular activities which will be held in two categories.

In the games & sports category, contingents will compete in - football (Jr.) U-17; (Sub.

Jr.); U - 14 hockey, basketball and volleyball.

In the co - curricular activities competition will be held in - debate (English and Hindi); quiz and variety entertainment programme.

The Minister also inaugurated the Radheshyam Gallery and also launched the Sports T-Shirt before the commencement of the sports competitions.

Overall 333 cadets are participating in this zonal festival cum championship.

Day 1 Events
Football
In the first match of the U-14 boys football competition, Sainik School Chhingchhip (Mizoram) played out a 1-1 draw with Sainik School Punglwa (Nagaland) team while Sainik School East Siang (Arunachal Pradesh) and Sainik School Imphal earned full points with respective wins in the following matches.

Hunruatpuia opened up the scoring in the 33rd minute to give the Mizoram side the lead in the opening match but Sukhmeshwar's 54th minute strike helped Sainik School Punglwa salvage a point.

Nicky of Chhingchhip team was yellow carded in the 38th minute of the match.

In the second match of the tournament, Sainik School East Siang (Arunachal Pradesh) sealed a comeback 3-1 win against Sainik School Purulia (West Bengal) to open up the winning account at this zonal competition.

Debraj Pal put the Purulia team ahead in the 36th minute but Sainik School East Siang rallied back and overturned the table with the goals coming from Wangphu (40'), Mijum (45') and Limuk (60+2').Jayanta of the West Bengal side was yellow carded by the referee in the 54th minute of the match.

Meanwhile in the third match of the competition, hosts Sainik School Imphal routed Sainik School Goalpara by 5-0 goals riding on a brace from SL Lalsanglen (2', 30+1) and singles by N Chetankumar (45'), Lamnganba (47') and Mangkhalen (50') .

U-17 Boys' Competition
Sainik School Imphal's U-17 team also shone on the opening day clinching a 3-0 win against Sainik School Punglwa (Nagaland).

Though Sainik School Imphal faced early resistance they were in full control of the game after JV Adnin Lamkang struck the opening goal in the 25th minute goal.

The onslaught continued in the second half and it was W Rameshchandra who pumped in two goals to enable Sainik School Imphal wrap up the game 3-0 .

Basketball
The first day of the sports championship also witness Sainik School Goalpara thrash Sainik School Chhingchhip by 79-17 points in a one sided match.

In another match, Sainik School Imphal earned a convincing 69-22 win against Sainik School Punglwa.

Volleyball
Meanwhile in the volleyball competition, Sainik School Purulia sealed an easy 25-15, 25-14 win against Sainik School Punglwa to kick off their campaign in style.