South Zone–1 CBSE Archery Championship opened at Ridge School in Kurnool
The South Zone–1 CBSE Archery Championship was inaugurated at the Ridge School in Kurnool on Sunday, with former Rajya Sabha Member T.G. Venkatesh, NCC Girls Battalion Commanding Officer Colonel Jobee Philip and Ravindra Educational Institutions founder G. Pullaiah as chief guests. The tournament is scheduled to run for three days.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Venkatesh emphasised the importance of sports, saying they enhance physical fitness and nurture mental well-being, confidence, discipline, concentration and perseverance. He urged students to participate actively in sports alongside academics and highlighted archery as one of India’s ancient sporting traditions, recalling its legendary association with Lord Rama and Arjuna. He said the rich heritage reflected India’s long-standing sporting culture.
Mr. Venkatesh said archery develops concentration, self-control, patience, hand-eye coordination and the ability to focus on a target. He added that the ability to remain calm under pressure and make composed decisions during competition contributes to the overall personality development of students. Those observations were made while he was addressing the gathering at the inauguration.
Sharing his personal interest in sports, Mr. Venkatesh said he had extended his support for the development of indoor and outdoor stadiums in Kurnool. He made the remark in the course of his inaugural address. The comment underscored his stated commitment to sporting infrastructure in the district.
Mr. Pullaiah recalled that Ridge School had earlier hosted the CBSE Cluster-level Football Championship. He said the school hosting a major sporting event once again was a matter of pride for Kurnool. His remarks came during the inaugural ceremony.
Ravindra Educational Institutions chairman G.V.M. Mohan Kumar said Kurnool had traditionally been known for sports such as volleyball, football and hockey. He expressed happiness that the city was now emerging as a venue for sports such as archery. Mohan Kumar spoke at the event alongside the other chief guests.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Ridge Schools CEO G. Gopinath, co-CEO Sowmya Gopinath, Ravindra Educational Institutions vice-chairman G. Vamsidhar and others. Their presence accompanied the formal opening of the championship at Ridge School.
The three-day championship will feature the participation of more than 2,000 students from around 650 schools across different parts of South India.