Mention Sports Day and it conjures up myriad images of athletic events. But the 10th Annual Athletic Meet of Indian Educational School and Smart Indian School, Bhavans, Kuwait held on 3rd November 2018 at Kaifan stadium, was a graceful departure from run-of-the-mill sporting experience. In the run-up to Sports day, intense practice sessions saw the excitement reach fever pitch that culminated in the delirious ride of a sporting experience. The recurring theme of Superheroes lent fresh impetus to the elaborate design of displays and events.
The chief guest of the day was Mr. Mansoor Al Mansoor, Head of English Schools, Private Education , Kuwait, in the august company of Mr. Ahmed Ali Al Rashidi, Director of Smart Indian School, Mr. N. K. Ramachandran Menon, Chairman of Bhavans Middle East, Mr. T Premkumar , Principal of IES, Mr. Mahesh Iyer, Principal of SIS, Ms. Rathi Ravindran , Principal of Jack and Jill, Mr. Suresh V Balakrishnan , Vice Principal (Middle & Senior wing ) of IES, Ms. Meenakshi Nayyar , Vice Principal ( CCA) of IES and Ms. Albin Daisy Vice Principal of SIS.
Samuel John Abraham, the school head boy, in his speech, rolled out a red carpet welcome to the distinguished guests. It didn’t take much time for the athletes to get into the swing of things. The four houses of the school – Satya, Seva, Tapas and Sanskriti – converged on the track for the march past. BSS (Bhavans Service Scheme) spearheaded the parade. The council members, house captains and vice-captains followed suit. As the staccato rhythm of the drum beats rent the air, the marching parade filed past the dignitaries. The incredible starlets of Bhavans did the torch relay that resonated with the message of light in spirit, knowledge and life. Mr. T. Premkumar and Mr. Mahesh Iyer, the Principals of Bhavans, Kuwait together declared the meet open.
The events picked up pace with an assortment of drill displays that held sway. Kiddies set the tone in a rollicking free-hand exercise. As their arms flickered, the ribbons scribbled the air. Then snappily dressed kids emerged on the scene for martial arts display, aerobics and zumba dance. An enthralling spectacle in itself, the dancers did the body rolls in sync with the hip-hop music. Props of chess pieces marshalled on the ground for the chess display, a photographer’s delight indeed, as students regaled the crowd with some deft moves reminiscent of the acrobatic skills of a gymnast. The saree display wove a spell in terms of its visual integrity and it was too appealing to inspire even a fledgling sports journalist to write rave reviews.
The standout moment of the day was when the superheroes of Bhavans, who had done the school proud in various competitions, burst on the scene and formed a huddle. They even broke into a spontaneous gig much to the delight of the crowd. A string of keenly fought athletic events had the thrills and spills of an adventurous tale. The sprints, in particular, spiced up the drama in the riveting narrative of heroics on the field. A couple of close finishes in a few events kept the athletes and the cheerleaders on tenterhooks for a while since a clear favourite failed to emerge from the points table. Then in a fairy-tale finish, Sanskriti house managed to lay their hands on the much-coveted Championship trophy. Seva house had to settle for the runners-up trophy.
The chief guest gave away the trophies amid loud applause. The chief guest was presented a memento as a token of love and gratitude by Mr. N. K Ramachandran Menon, the Chairman of Bhavans Middle East. Aaliya Yasirah Sageer, the school head girl delivered the vote of thanks as another eventful day drew to a close on an upbeat note.