Gandhi House dominates at St Joseph’s Annual Athletics Meet in Nainital

By Nikhil Pant

NAINITAL, 16 May: The 136th annual Athletic Meet of St Joseph’s College was organised with great enthusiasm, colour and sporting spirit on the school grounds, drawing participation from students, staff members and distinguished alumni of the institution. The event witnessed a vibrant display of discipline, athletic talent and house spirit, while also serving as a nostalgic reunion for former students of the prestigious institution.

Justice Alok Mahra, an eminent alumnus from the 1987 batch, attended the programme as the chief guest.

One of the major attractions of the event was the march past by the Old Boys of the institution, proudly led by Raja Akshobh Singh. The participation of distinguished alumni including Aloke Sah, Prem Kapil and Shiweshwar added a sense of pride and nostalgia to the occasion and rekindled memories associated with the institution’s long sporting and academic legacy.

The athletic events then began amid loud cheers from students and spectators. The audience was treated to a series of colourful and energetic drill presentations by different sections of the school. Students of Classes I, II and III presented a lively Pom-Pom Drill, while students of Classes IV and V performed an engaging Cricket Drill. Students from Classes VI to VIII enthralled the gathering with a vibrant Bhangra Drill, while Classes IX and X presented a synchronised Lazium Drill display marked by precision and rhythm.

A special tribute was also paid to Major Rajesh Adhikari, a distinguished alumnus of the school who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his exceptional bravery during the Kargil War. The tribute added an emotional and patriotic dimension to the programme. Students of Classes XI and XII also presented an impressive drill performance that received loud applause from the audience.

The Old Boys Relay and the Staff Relay races generated considerable excitement and competitive spirit during the event. Among the staff participants, Mukund Sethi, Amit Dhaila and Rakesh Bhatt displayed admirable stamina, determination and sportsmanship. The staff team eventually secured the second position in the relay event.

The programme commenced with the impressive Captains’ March Past, followed by the march past contingents of the four houses. The salute was taken by the Chief Guest, who appreciated the discipline, coordination and enthusiasm displayed by the students during the ceremonial parade.

Gandhi House emerged as the star performer of the Athletic Meet by winning both the coveted Athletic Shield and the prestigious Cock House Trophy. The house also secured victory in the Tug of War competition, further consolidating its dominance during the event.

Jaskaran Singh Bal was declared the Best Athlete of the Year for his outstanding performance in the competitions, while Karnik Goswami received the Most Promising Athlete Award.

The Best Man Trophies were awarded to Mayank Suyal in D Division, Vaibhav Joshi in C Division and Aksh Rana in A Division. The Coronny Shield for Best Marching was awarded to Pant House in recognition of its discipline and marching excellence.

The Winning House Masters’ Trophy was presented to the House Masters of Gandhi House, Dr Manoj Tewari and Rakesh Bhatt, for guiding their team to overall success in the meet.

The introduction of the Chief Guest was delivered by Rakesh Bhatt, following which Justice Alok Mahra addressed the gathering. In his speech, he underlined the importance of sports in shaping discipline, leadership qualities and character among students. He also fondly recalled his days at St Joseph’s College and shared memories of his association with the institution.

The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Principal Br. Sebastian, who expressed gratitude to all guests, participants, staff members and organisers for contributing to the success of the programme.

The event was compered by  Dacosta and Nabanita, while the Athletic Meet was efficiently conducted under the supervision of PTIs Amit Dhaila, Arthur Knight and Nikhil, whose efforts ensured the smooth and disciplined conduct of the programme.