The ICAR South Zone Sports Meet kicked off with tremendous enthusiasm at the Sports Ground, GKVK, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, on 13th December 2023. Hosted by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, this event is a flagship sports tournament for the employees of ICAR institutes across the South Zone in the year 2023.
A total of 24 institutes from the South Zone, spanning states such as Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Goa, along with the ICAR Headquarters from New Delhi, have sent over 700 participants to engage in various sporting competitions. The tournament features a diverse range of sports, including athletics with events such as the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 1500m races, javelin and discus throw, shotput, high jump, and long jump. Team events like volleyball, football, basketball, cricket, and kabaddi, as well as indoor games like badminton, chess, carom, and table tennis, are also part of the exciting lineup.
The inaugural function saw the esteemed presence of Dr. S.V. Suresha, Vice Chancellor of UAS, Bengaluru, as the chief guest. In his address, Dr. Suresha emphasized the significance of sports and extracurricular activities in the workplace, highlighting their role in alleviating job-related stress and promoting a balance between the mind and body. He underscored the importance of employee fitness, emphasizing its direct correlation with work productivity and the overall achievements of the institute. The esteemed dignitaries. Shri Govind Sharma, Joint Director (Finance), and Dr. Prakash Patil, Project Coordinator (Fruits), added their distinguished presence to the occasion.
Presiding over the event was Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Director of ICAR-IIHR and Chairman of the organizing committee. Dr. Singh welcomed the participating contingents, expressing his hopes that the tournament would foster sportsmanship, healthy competition, and valuable networking among the participants. The sports committee president officially declared the tournament 'Open,' marked by the release of balloons and an Oath-taking ceremony. To signal the commencement of the sports events, a torch rally, led by the South Zone's top ICAR athletes, was conducted.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, the chief guest unveiled the sports souvenir. The inaugural program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Smitha, G.R., Co-organizing Secretary of the South Zonal Sports Tournament. Under the leadership of Dr. R. H. Laxman, the Organizing Secretary, this event promises not only spirited competitions but also an opportunity for employees to connect, compete, and celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship. The ICAR South Zone Sports Meet 2023 is an opportunity for employees to connect, compete, and celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship.
Source: Nodal Officer (Media), ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru
