Do you know that ‘sport’ in its original form meant entertainment or pastime? Well, watching sport still is like that but when it comes to playing one, it assumes multiple forms of fitness, competitiveness, and so on. It also assumes another interesting dimension of being a great equalizer and a noble unifier of people. Ronojoy Sen, a Senior Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore, in his book, Nation At Play, writes about the limited access to sports in ancient and medieval India due to its stratified caste-based society. The movie, Lagaan, depicted this amply well and the struggle to get rid of caste-based prejudices was scripted across the length and breadth of the movie. While some of those limitations and prejudices are not that prevalent anymore but the importance of sports in bringing people together across the swathes of society, irrespective of their gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, and religion, can’t be downplayed.
The Kompass Annual Sports Meet was a shining display of unifying people at the institution with students across both the batches of the junior college and participation of boys and girls alike. What’s more, even the members of the Faculty made spirited participation in the Meet. The Meet saw students competing in 8 categories. In a cricket-frenzy nation of ours, the game was the top pick but basketball, kabaddi, kho-kho, badminton, relay race, carroms, and chess also shared the limelight. The Meet saw the preliminary rounds starting a few days before the finals that were played on the 7th and 8th January 2022. Amid running commentaries and bedlam of cheerleading, runs were scored, points were earned, matches were won, and friendships were cemented.
The Meet was a breath of fresh air after all the online classes and the virtual life that has miffed us so much. The students and members of the Faculty went away from the Meet refreshed, rejuvenated, and looking forward to more such events in the future.
