Kerala School Sports Meet Explained

Kerala School Sports Meet
Founded:
  • 1956 as Kerala State School Athletics & Games
  • 2024 as Kerala School Sports Meet
Status:Active
Genre:Sports Event
Frequency:Annually
Venue:Kerala
Country:India
Founder Name:R. Sankar
Last:2024
Participants:20000
Area:Kinder Garden to Higher Secondary Classes
Organised:Government of Kerala
People:V. Sivankutty
Sponsor:IT@school

The Kerala School Sports Meet, previously known as Kerala State School Athletics and Games were inaugurated in 1956 by R. Sankar, the then Chief Minister of Kerala. This initiative was established to promote athletics and physical education among school students across the state.[1] [2]

Each year, over 40 sporting events are held, culminating in the announcement of state champions for each event, along with district and school champions. Participants are awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals, celebrating their achievements and fostering a spirit of competition and excellence.[3]

Background

Kerala State School Athletic Games is an initiative launched by the Kerala Government aimed at promoting sports and physical education among school students across the state of Kerala. The program seeks to foster a sports culture by encouraging active participation in various athletic events, thereby identifying and nurturing young talent. With a structure that categorizes participants by age groups and includes a diverse range of competitions—from athletics to team sports—the Olympics serves as a platform for schools to compete at local and state levels. Collaborating with the Kerala State Sports Council and the Department of General Education, the initiative not only focuses on enhancing physical fitness but also emphasizes the values of teamwork and discipline, contributing to the holistic development of students.[4]

School Olympics

The Kerala Education Department launched the inaugural "School Olympics" in 2024, an event that aims to revolutionize school sports in the state. Scheduled to take place in Kochi from November 4 to 11, this historic sports meet will feature students from across Kerala competing in 39 diverse sports, including athletics, team sports, and inclusive sports designed for differently-abled athletes. This initiative marks a first of its kind in India, emphasizing the importance of sports in the educational landscape. The winning district will be awarded a 3-kilogram gold trophy, named in honour of the Chief Minister, although logistical challenges may delay its presentation until next year. The opening ceremony at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi) promises to be a vibrant celebration, incorporating cultural performances inspired by the Olympic spirit. Competitions will be held at 19 different venues throughout Kochi, with the inclusion of students from Kerala schools in the Gulf states for the first time. This revamped event signifies a significant evolution from the traditional focus on athletics in school sports meets, as the Public Education Department has meticulously planned a torch relay featuring international athletes, a grand march-past, a theme song, and a sports-cultural festival. The new School Olympics aims to become a landmark event in Kerala's education system, promoting the integration of sports with academics and the arts, thereby fostering a holistic approach to student development.[5] [6]

Students from the Gulf region will also participate in the Kerala State School Olympics in Kochi. The Director of Public Education issued a circular inviting non-resident students to take part in the event. This marks the first time that students from Gulf countries have been invited to a state government-sponsored sports event. The team from the United Arab Emirates will compete as the 15th district in the games, adding international dimension to the competition.[7]

However, on 22 October 2024, the Education Department decided to remove the term 'Olympics' from the title of the school sports festival. This decision stems from regulations that prohibit the use of the word 'Olympics' without authorization from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Initially, the government had named the event a major sports festival, but upon realizing that 'Olympics' is a registered trademark protected under the Olympic Charter, they retracted the name. Thus, the event will now officially be called the "Kerala School Sports Meet". All future promotional materials and official documents related to the event will reflect this updated name. Moving forward, it will be referred to as the "Kerala School Kayika Mela in Olympic Model Kochi-24", aligning with the revised branding while maintaining the essence of a large-scale sports festival.[8] [9]

Sport events

As of 2023, the following sports events are held annually:

Medal Table

The following medal table is based on performances in Aquatics and Athletics events, with data and medal tallies recorded from 2011 onward. No competitions were held in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Athletic Events

District-wise Medal Tally

The following table displays the total number of medals earned by each district in athletic events.

width=2%Rankwidth=10%DistrictGoldSilverBronzewidth=4%Total
1Ernakulam274242201717
2Palakkad272244205721
3Kozhikode121122119362
4Thiruvananthapuram738194248
5Thrissur635956178
6Malappuram629392247
7Kottayam456468177
8Kannur26253182
9Alappuzha23274595
10Idukki222756105
11Kasargod1911939
12Kollam13122045
13Wayanad10212354
14Pathanamthitta913729

District-Wise Annual Champions (Athletic)

YearNumber of EventsDistricts (Top 3)Number ofMedals awardedBest Performing SchoolNumber ofDate & Location
align=center style="background:gold; width=7%;"align=center style="background:silver; width=7%;"align=center style="background:#cc9966; width=7%;"
201194Ernakulam27885283225Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
15044December 4 – 7, Ernakulam
Palakkad23261262411
Kozhikode7623869
201294Palakkad27279282823St. George's Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
11133December 4 – 7, Thiruvananthapuram
Ernakulam25782283024
Kozhikode84261088
201395Ernakulam25179282427St. George's Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
10033November 23 – 26, Ernakulam
Palakkad21867271426
Kozhikode1103211129
201495Ernakulam28981332820St. George's Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
8329December 8 – 11, Thiruvananthapuram
Palakkad19061152620
Kozhikode15648161715
201595Ernakulam24171252818Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
9129December 5 – 8, Kozhikode
Palakkad22568242321
Kozhikode130341699
201695Palakkad25574282521Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
10735December 3 – 6, Malappuram
Ernakulam24775243120
Kozhikode101271287
201795Ernakulam25871341621Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
7521October 20 – 23, Kottayam
Palakkad18560221424
Kozhikode109348206
201896Ernakulam25376302620St. George's Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
8125October 26 – 29, Thiruvananthapuram
Palakkad19653241613
Thiruvananthapuram10131101110
201998Palakkad20160182616Mar Basil Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam
6220November 15 – 18, Kannur
Ernakulam15746211411
Kozhikode1233914718
202298Palakkad20171322118Ideal E. H. S. S. Kadakassery
6620December 3 – 6, Thiruvananthapuram
Malappuram14944131714
Kozhikode1224081616
202398Palakkad26667282712Ideal E. H. S. S. Kadakassery
5723October 16 – 20, Thrissur
Malappuram16855132220
Kozhikode952910712
Kerala School Sports Meet
202439November 4 – 11, Kochi

Aquatic Events

District-wise Medal Tally

The following table displays the total number of medals earned by each district in aquatic events. Due to the unavailability of data for the events held in 2012 and 2018, those years have been excluded from the following information.

width=2%Rankwidth=10%DistrictGoldSilverBronzewidth=4%Total
1Thiruvananthapuram6616035021766
2Ernakulam138105122365
3Thrissur69108167344
4Kottayam455358156
5Palakkad8325898
6Kasargod281525
Kollam2125
7Kozhikode012517
8Kannur06713
9Alappuzha0538
10Malappuram0101
11Idukki0000
Pathanamthitta0000
Wayanad0000

District-Wise Annual Champions (Aquatic)

YearNumber of EventsDistricts (Top 3)Number ofMedals awardedBest Performing SchoolNumber ofDate & Location
align=center style="background:gold; width=7%;"align=center style="background:silver; width=7%;"align=center style="background:#cc9966; width=7%;"
2011104Thiruvananthapuram666201686370Government V. H. S. S, Kalamassery
5713October 24 – 27, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Ernakulam23244211310
Thrissur1274013819
2013104Thiruvananthapuram657201666966Government V. H. S. S, Pirappancode
20258October 28 – 31, Swimming Pool Pirappancode
Ernakulam2245426199
Thrissur13443101320
2014104Thiruvananthapuram686199786061Government V. H. S. S, Pirappancode
22363October 28 – 31, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Ernakulam15742141513
Thrissur13144111419
2015104Thiruvananthapuram663196696958Government V. H. S. S, Pirappancode
16149October 28 – 31, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Thrissur16857121728
Ernakulam137311849
2016104Thiruvananthapuram683203717062Government V. H. S. S, Pirappancode
16149October 28 – 31, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Ernakulam14235141110
Thrissur13446101422
2017104Thiruvananthapuram698200766757Government V. H. S. S, Kalamassery
5513November 10 – 13, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Thrissur1405062024
Ernakulam111291379
2019104Thiruvananthapuram648169706930Rajagiri Higher Secondary School, Kalamassery
6721October 29 – November 1, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Ernakulam16053161027
Kottayam14739151212
2022104Thiruvananthapuram705198796554Govt. Girls H. S. S, Kanniakulangara
9632November 7 – 9, Aquatics Complex Thrissur
Ernakulam13940131215
Thrissur7521687
2023103Thiruvananthapuram721199846451Madhava Vilasom H. S. S, Thundathil
13230December 8 – 11, Dr.B R Ambedkar International Aquatic Complex, Pirappancode
Ernakulam993731420
Kottayam73237610

Notes and References

  1. News: In a first, Kerala State School Sports Meet to be held along the lines of Olympics . 2024-07-27 . The Hindu . 26 July 2024 . en.
  2. News: Kerala's first School Olympics to be held in Ernakulam in October . 2024-07-03 . The Hindu . 3 July 2024 . en.
  3. News: Palakkad district clinches victory in 65th Kerala State School Sports Meet with 266 points . 2023-10-20 . The Times of India . 20 October 2023 . en.
  4. Web site: Kerala School Kalolsavam in Thiruvananthapuram from Dec 3 to 7 . 2024-07-29 . onmanorama.com . en.
  5. Web site: Kerala's first-ever 'School Olympics' to dazzle with 3-kg gold trophy . 2024-10-17 . thebridge.in . 17 October 2024 . en.
  6. Web site: Kerala introduces new school programmes, sports manual for differently-abled . 2024-07-05 . indiatoday.in . 5 July 2024 . en.
  7. Web site: State School Olympics: UAE will be named the "15th District" . 2024-10-19 . mediaoneonline.com . 17 October 2024 . ml.
  8. Web site: Use of term 'Olympics' excluded from Kerala School Sports Meet . 2024-10-22 . mathrubhumi.com . en.
  9. Web site: 'Olympics' Removed from Kerala School Sports Meet Title . 2024-10-22 . twentyfournews.com . ml.
  10. Web site: Kerala School Sports & Games 2023 Official Website . kerala.gov.in . en.

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