Annual Report

Ode to G20 : SJC celebrates Post Centenary 139th Annual Athletic Meet & P.T. Display

“One man practising sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.”

• -Knute Rockne

Sports Day is a vibrant celebration of athleticism, teamwork, and unbridled enthusiasm. The air is charged with the spirit of competition as athletes showcase their prowess in a kaleidoscope of events. Beyond the competitive edge, Sports Day fosters a sense of camaraderie, where participants forge bonds that extend beyond the track. The colours of jerseys, the palpable energy, and the collective pride make Sports Day a spectacle that transcends mere athleticism – it's a celebration of human potential, unity, and the sheer joy of pushing one's limits.

Which day can be more enthralling in an academic calendar than the one dedicated to sports and games? Promoting athleticism and teamwork, St. Joseph's College, Prayagraj organised the Post Centenary 139th Annual Athletic Meet on the 18th of November, 2023, fostering in its students a sense of companionship and unity. The proceedings of this auspicious day commenced with the arrival of the esteemed Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas, and the Guests of Honour, the Golden Jubilee batch of 1973 and the Silver Jubilee batch of 1998, at the gates of the prestigious institution, St. Joseph‟s College, Prayagraj. They were warmly welcomed by the College Principal, Rev. Fr. Thomas Kumar, the College Headmaster, Rev. Fr. Melvin Pias, the Additional Administrator, Mr. A. McGowan, and the Staff Coordinator, Mr. Jyoti Dube.

To ensure the success of this grand fest, the esteemed Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas, was escorted to the serene College Prayer Room for invoking God's blessings with an Opening Prayer and the symbolic act of lighting the torch. Thereafter, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas was escorted to the College Gymnasium for inaugurating the new addition to the College infrastructure, the Badminton Court. It is worth noting that this Badminton Court was generously gifted by the Silver Jubilee Batch of 1998, adding to the pride and joy of the occasion and to the overall glory of St. Joseph‟s College, Prayagraj.

Subsequently, the Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas, was escorted to the dais with great honour and reverence by the College Band, College Cabinet, and Captains of the various Houses. Then, he was formally introduced by the Mistresses and the Master of Ceremony, Mrs. L. Gaffney, Mrs. Ancy Thomas and Mr. Ankur Arora respectively. Thereafter, the College Principal, Rev. Fr. Thomas Kumar, presented a floral tribute to the distinguished Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas.

The enthralling performance by the talented students of class 8 marked the opening of this Sports Day extravaganza wherein they showcased a captivating dance and tableau centered around the theme „India‟s Giant Leap Enroute Luna‟. This mesmerising presentation shed light on the momentous launch of Chandrayaan 3 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the 23rd of August, 2023, under the visionary guidance of the revered Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and Mr. P. Veeramuthuvel, Project Director of Chandrayaan-3, which propelled Indian space research to new heights.

Following this, the March Past commenced with the Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas, saluting the students. Subsequently, the College flag was hoisted by the esteemed Chief Guest, accompanied by the resounding rendition of the College Anthem by the entire school. The responsibility of representing all the students of the College fell on the shoulders of the Athletics Captain, Ayush Singh, who took the Oath on their behalf. The Athletic Torch, symbolising the spirit of sportsmanship, was then passed from the Vice Captain, Mayank Singh, to the Athletics Captain, Ayush Singh, who in turn handed it over to the National Level Athletes. With the declaration of the Chief Guest, the Athletic Meet was officially inaugurated, as the Athletics Captain, Ayush Singh ignited the cauldron, marking the commencement of the event.

The first race of this auspicious day was the 100 Metre Race of all the divisions wherein the athletes competed with great stamina and vigour trying to one up each other.

A carnival is akin to a vibrant extravaganza brimming with merriment. It serves as a unifying force, building connections between individuals and fostering the creation of cherished memories. Families congregate, friends exchange radiant smiles, and an atmosphere of pure bliss envelops all. The students of class 3 orchestrated a resplendent P.T. Display centered around the theme of 'SJC Carnival'. The sight of their attires stirred immense delight within the hearts of everyone present, including their parents seated in the audience.

Succeeding the energetic P.T. Display by the students of class 3, the winners of the 100 metre race were presented with their medals and the Sumit Chaddha Memorial Slow Cycle Race Award (O Div.) was presented to Lakshya Aggarwal (Gold House) by Honourable Justice Samit Gopal. Thereafter, the Debi Prasad De Memorial Scholarship was presented to Kavyam Srivastava and Priyanshu Mukherjee for their outstanding performance in the ICSE Board examination by Mrs. Sutapa Raha De, along with her daughter Ms. Disha De.

The "Samurai Warriors" themed P.T. display by the students of class 4 offered a captivating glimpse into the world of these legendary warriors who epitomized strength, honor, and discipline.

The 200-meter race, a thrilling sprint in track and field, epitomizes the fusion of speed and endurance. The athletes exploded from the starting point, accelerating through the curve of the track with powerful strides and precision in this race conducted for O, A B, & C Division.

Who hasn‟t heard of the legendary Father A.G. Rego, Former Principal, St. Joseph‟s College, Prayagraj? The 1974 batch continued with its tradition of awarding students securing the highest marks in ICSE examinations by felicitating Kavyam Srivastava and Priyanshu Mukherjee for topping the ICSE examinations this year with 99.2% marks.

The winners of 200 metre race were next awarded their medals as was the Nishit Dixit Award for swimming awarded to Stavya Agrawal for his excellence in the sublime dance of rhythmic serenity, i.e., swimming.

There are hurdles to overcome in life and its various aspects, especially in sports. Subsequently, the next race conducted on the College grounds was the 100 metre hurdle race for the O & A Division.

The P.T. Display of the students of class 5 centred around the theme "PER AMORE DELLO SPORT FARE"(an Italian phrase meaning „For the love of sports-teamwork) emphasized a passion for sports and fostered team spirit. The students articulated the significance of sports in life, citing examples such as basketball, and pyramid activities. They elucidated how engagement in sports instils diligence and cultivates collaborative skills for coordinated efforts in various aspects of life.

A clear example of how team spirit leads to the entire team performing beautifully, the next event, i.e., the Inter-House relay (400 metres for the O division) had the audience watching with bated breath, the heroic efforts of all the athletes.

Thereafter, the Achyut-Ashok Award was presented to Mayank Singh for his all-round performance in studies and extracurricular activities by Group Captain, Achyut and the winners of the 100 metre hurdles were also presented with their respective medals.

Superheroes are iconic figures that embody the triumph of good over evil, using their powers to protect the innocent and uphold moral values. In times of peril, superheroes rise to the occasion, showcasing resilience, bravery, and a sense of duty that inspires hope among the masses. Symbolising the same, the students of class 6th showcased the role and strength of a superhero in their P.T. Display themed „DC AND MARVEL CROSS OVER‟.

Fast cycle race is all about stamina and willpower, as was shown by the athletes, thus giving testimony to their fighting spirit as the O division of the fast cycle race unfolded before the audience.

Surely, none would have anticipated the Old Boys‟ Race to have its fun quotient upped by the old boys participating in a race conducted for sheer joy with their minds full of thought of their schooling days.

Succeeding the Old Boys‟ Race, the winners of the 4*100 relay race were presented with their medals and the Sumit Chaddha Memorial Fast Cycle Race Award was presented to Lakshya Aggarwal. Thereafter, the Award by Batch of 1972 for academic excellence in ICSE Board Examinations was presented to Kavyam Srivastava and Priyanshu Mukherjee by the parents of the College Captain, Suryansh Pandey and Mr. Samar Chatterjee representing the batch of 1972.

Subsequently, the Leslie Gordon Carver Memorial Award was presented to the best athletes of various divisions: Mayank Singh(Gold house) of „O‟ division, Arsh Jaiswal(Red house) of „A‟ division, Ishan Gupta(Red house) of „B‟ division, Mukul Jaiswal(Green house) of „C‟ division, Aarav Maurya(Blue house) of „D‟ division, Bhishm Yadav(Red house) of „E‟ division and Aarshey Kesarwani(Blue house) of „F‟ division by Sr. Martha CJ, former Headmistress of St. Mary‟s Convent, Prayagraj.

Academics forms the bedrock of knowledge, providing a structured path for intellectual growth. The pursuit of academic excellence is a journey that hones critical thinking, cultivates curiosity, and fosters a deep understanding of various subjects. Thus, the Lutfi Ali-Rushdi Ali Award was presented by their father, Brig. Syed Ahmad Ali and Mr. P. Wilson to the topper of ISC-2023, Kanha Pandey for scoring 97.25% in the stream of Humanities.

Following the prize distribution ceremony, the "Global Family - Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam " themed P.T. display of students of class 7 invited the audience on a journey of cultural exploration and unity. The theme, rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of "Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam" (the world is one family), showcases the rich tapestry of global diversity and interconnectedness.

Next up, was the most highly anticipated, nail-biting and passionately contested inter-house event, the Tug-O-War. Green house proved their prowess by defeating Red House in a closely contested match, scoring 2-0. The Divyang Pushp Memorial Award for fast cycle race was presented to Akshar Devansh of the B Division for his exhilarating performance in the fast cycle race.

Thereafter, the prize distribution ceremony wherein the Best sportsperson award in the Junior category was presented to Devansh Prakash and the Best sportsperson award in the senior category was awarded to Ayush Singh. The Best All-rounder award in the Junior category was presented to Pranjal Singh and the Best All-rounder award in the senior category was awarded to Suryansh Pandey. The Marching Shield was bagged by Green House, the joint winners of the Discipline Shield was given to the Blue and the Gold House. The Athletic Shield was won by the Red house. Last but not the least, the Cock House Shield was scooped by the Red House for the 9th consecutive year, headed by the House Master, Er. Mr. Prateek Hemrajani.

The event came to its end when the office bearers of St. Joseph‟s College, Prayagraj guided the students in a dignified Final March Past, where they stood with eager anticipation for the forthcoming Closing Ceremony. The congregation was then graced with an address from the revered Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas, wherein he congratulated all the teachers for their stellar job of educating the students. He also highlighted the fact that SJC is a “sangam” of peace and humanity. He concluded his speech by stating that discipline is the most important virtue a person can possess.

This was followed by a presentation of a memento to the esteemed Chief Guest, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Louis Mascarenhas, by the College Principal, Rev. Fr. Thomas Kumar. As the programme drew to a close, the College Captain, Suryansh Pandey, proposed the Vote of Thanks, expressing gratitude to all those who worked tirelessly to make the mega event possible. The proceedings concluded with a harmonious rendition of the National Anthem, accompanied by the resounding Beating of the Retreat by the College Band, adding a majestic touch to the grandeur of the occasion.