Students of Sai International School undertake a plantation drive on Teachers’ Day. Telegraph picture

Football fever

Football mania seems to be at its peak with schools, colleges and professional teams across the state passionately indulging in the dribble and shoot act. The 21st Kalinga Marine Bibekananda Memorial inter-school football tournament at Unit-VI High School ground, Bhubaneswar, began on August 17.

Twenty-two teams from the capital are participating in the tournament, which is being hosted by Unit-VI Athletic Association.

The league matches are being played now and 16 teams would make it to the pre-quarter final round. However, the top eight teams of last year’s tournament have already qualified for that stage, without playing a single match. And the remaining 14 teams are now slugging it out to secure a berth in the pre-quarters.

From here, the knockout matches would begin and ultimately the best two sides would reach the finals scheduled to be played on September 14. Some of the best performers would be sent for training at the Tata Academy in Jamshedpur.

The association would be organising a one-day all-Orissa ladies’ football tournament at the Unit-VI ground on September 11 where six teams, with a mix of school and college students in each, would take part.

Another inter-school football tournament kicked off at the Ispat Stadium in Rourkela on September 6. The event is being organised by the sports department of Rourkela Steel Plant. Twenty-two teams consisting of students up to Class X and another eight teams, which include students from classes XI and XII from different schools of the Steel City, are participating in this tournament.

Noble celebrations

Sai International School, Bhubaneswar, celebrated Teachers’ Day by going green. After wishing their teachers with handmade cards and eco-friendly gifts, the students divided themselves into two groups and undertook a huge plantation drive on the campus. Around 100 saplings were planted near the boys’ hostel and the administrative block.

A cultural extravaganza followed this where the teachers presented a string of dance and musical performances for the students. Some of them even sashayed down the ramp in gorgeous ethnic wear, which was accompanied by whoops and wolf whistles from the audience. The cultural programme, planned by the recreation committee of the school, culminated with a sumptuous lunch.

During the second half of the day, a few senior students dressed up as their favourite teachers and ran the school. Each of them was assigned a subject to teach in the junior classes and they were later awarded for their impressive efforts. Chairman of the school, Bijay Kumar Sahoo, and principal, Arun Prakash, addressed the audience and encouraged the youngsters to take up teaching as a profession.