JOIN USIn a country where sports are usually sidelined for mainstream subjects, it is a treat to witness youngsters participating sports competitions at the sports ground at the Noida Sector - 125 campus of Amity University.
Students from various colleges of the University assembled here for the annual event of ‘16th Mega Inter-Institutional Sports Meet – Sangathan’. Spanning over two months, the sports meet was inaugurated recently, amidst elaborate celebrations.
‘Sangathan’ is an annual event organised to promote the value of sports such as team spirit, camaraderie, healthy competition, perseverance, hard work and dedication among students. Over 20,000 students from all the Amity Universities and campuses located in India and abroad are expected to participate in around 30 sports events including hockey, cricket, football, tennis, swimming and squash, to name a few.
The event started with the ceremonial lighting of a torch in all the Amity Campuses across India and abroad simultaneously. The ‘Sangathan Mashaal’ from University Campus was taken to Sector- 44 Campus and further to Greater Noida Campus, accompanied by an entourage of senior officials and Amity University staff.
The sports captain of Amity School of Engineering and Technology (last year’s winners of the sports meet) lit the ‘Sangathan Flame’ with the mashaal at University Campus, Sector- 125, Noida.
The sports captains of various teams then took oath on behalf of all the players, promising to play fair, displaying true sportsmanship and team spirit.
Declaring the 16th Inter Amity Institutions Sports Meet open, Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh said that it is a matter of great pride to be amongst brilliant sports captains for the most important event in Amity’s calendar, marking the Founder’s Day.
He announced that “During Sangathan 2014, 20 brilliant sportspersons would be identified who may not have played at National and International levels and a special scholarship scheme would be drafted to encourage their talent.”
Citing a study, he added “The vast majority of top CEOs’ of America have been sportspersons in their lives” and stressed that sportspersons have better chances to succeed because they have the capacity to take risks, to lead and face both success and failures. Motivating the students, he also encouraged the captains of various teams to live up to the expectations of their mentors and colleagues.
Presenting a brief overview of ‘Sangathan 2014’, Prof Kalpana Sharma, chairperson, Organising Committee Sangathan 2014 said, “Sangathan is a momentous occasion celebrating the spirit of unity of all our students.”
She recalled the humble beginning of this sports meet in 1999 and described how it has grown over the years to become a mega sports event where thousands of students participate and display exemplary skills. She also shared that this year, students from six Amity Universities in India, five International campuses and 13 Amity Global campuses in India will compete in 20 different sports at four different venues.
Informing about the interest of students in games, she said, “The highest participation is seen in football, cricket and basket ball and the girls’ favourite, it seems, is kho kho which is dominated by female players.”
The students of Amity School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences presented a beautiful fusion of Lezim and martial arts during the inauguration event. This was followed by an exhibition hockey match between the teams from Amity School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences and Amity School of Engineering and Technology wherein the Amity School of Engineering and Technology won by 3-1 goals.