Keralam school sports meet to begin on October 25 at NIT Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the 68th State School Sports Meet at NIT Kozhikode on October 25, Minister N Samsudheen said on Sunday. The meet will be held on the newly renovated synthetic track and ground at NIT Kozhikode, which have been upgraded to international standards. The event will be the first major sporting competition to be held at the renovated facility, the state Education minister said.

Speaking after a review meeting of the organising committee at the welcome committee office on the National Institute of Technology campus, Samsudheen said the trophy procession from Thiruvananthapuram and the torch relay from Kasaragod would converge at Kozhikode Beach on the morning of October 25.

Main venue at NIT Kozhikode

The two processions would then pass through the city before reaching the main venue at NIT Kozhikode, where the opening ceremony would feature a march past. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony on October 31. All ministers and prominent personalities, including Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, are expected to attend the opening and closing ceremonies, the minister said.

During the review meeting, Samsudheen launched an app developed by the medical and transport committees, released the cover of the meet's souvenir and activated the media call centre.

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17 subcommittees for event preparation

He directed the 17 subcommittees formed for the event to complete preparations in a planned manner and remain vigilant. Given the possibility of changing weather conditions, including rain and strong winds, the strength and safety of the venues should be checked regularly, he said.

The minister stressed the need for strict compliance with food safety standards during meal distribution and instructed the programme committee to ensure that competitions were conducted according to schedule. He said school sports meets would help foster a vibrant sporting culture among the younger generation and urged officials, teachers' organisations and public representatives to work together to make the event a success.

Organising committee chairman and MLA M A Razak presided over the meeting. The meeting reviewed the need for closer coordination between government departments and the organising committee to ensure the timely completion of arrangements for competition venues, infrastructure, security, transport, sanitation and other facilities, officials said.