Media Release
Dammam, Apr 18: Mangalore Association of Saudi Arabia (MASA) conducted its Sports Day 2017 on Friday April 7 at Dammam 91 area. It was a fun-filled event that raised the sporting spirit of the Mangalureans to a new height. The atmosphere was filled with fun and frolic as members of all ages vied and competed to help their teams win for individual glory or team events.
President Sadashiv Poojary inaugurated the Sports Day event at 9.00 am alongside the classic parade by four houses identified by colored ribbons in Blue, Green, Red and Yellow led by Prakash Shetty, Usman Hosangadi, Nagaraj Bajal and Satish Bajal respectively.
In his inaugural speech, the president welcomed all the participants and encouraged them to take part in the events with the ethos of true sportsmanship.
The general secretary Mohammed Nooman and advisory committee member Ravi Karkera briefed the gathering, in the presence of advisory committee members Madhav Amin, Dayanand Shriyan, Ahmed Gulam Beary, Narendra Shetty and the executive committee members Naveen Bhandary, Sathish Bajal, Praveen Peter Aranha, Babu Kotebettu, Vidyadhar Shetty, Gopal Shetty, Prakash Shetty, Dayanand Chowta, Usman Hosangadi, Nagaraj Bajal, Naveen Shetty, Salim Puttur and Puttaraju.
The event comprised of individual and group games professionally organized by the event organizing teams led by the sports committee head Praveen Peter Aranha. Members of all ages participated in making it a grand gala event. A number of nail-biting finishes and thrilling team events namely ladies cricket were the special attractions of the evening. Among the individual games sack race and cycle tyre race were fun and entertaining.
As the day progressed, the atmosphere turned into a virtual battlefield charged with electrifying energy and a sporting spirit. The support and encouragement from each of the houses for the team members pumping them with encouraging deafening screams to win medals was worth watching. Fully charged up members, the old, the young, the teens and the kids, were cheered by their respective house members.
The group game dodge ball for men, ladies and children, witnessed some tough competition among the houses and was fully enjoyed by the participants and the viewers. A four-overs knockout cricket match was conducted among the four houses. Fine bowling, dashing batting display and superb fielding with stunning catches by some of the ladies were highly appreciated by all the members. The cliffhanger five–overs final match between the Green and Red House was played till the last ball. Roopa Chowta and Sareen were seen showcasing excellent cricket skills while the match finished with a lovely six to the midwicket by Sureka Amith Shetty of Red House in the last
ball.
Members celebrated and wished the the pleasantly surprised MASA members Sunil Puthran and Maithri Mahabala Shetty as they cut their birthday cakes to the accompaniment of the birthday song.
The ultimate showdown was the Tug of war for all age groups. Watching the children test their strength in tug of war was tremendously entertaining. The ladies then took their turn at showing off their might at the rope. The highly intense men's tug of war was not less than a war. Every participant fought it out tooth and nail with a commendable sporting spirit and put in their all to get their houses right to the top.
First, second and third place winners of individual and group games were invited to the victory stand and awarded with bouquets and medals.
The sponsors Joey Fernandes, Naveen Bhandary, Praveen Peter Aranha, Uday Sanil, Usman Hosangadi, Ahmed Gulam Beary, Shaik Mohiddin, Babu Kotebettu, Edwin Martis, Chandrashekhar Karkera, Dayanand Chowta & Group, Dayanand Shriyan, Madhav Amin, Ravi Karkera, Shanker Billava, Sunil Puthran, Yogeesh Poojary, Sudarshan Sanil, Amith Shetty, Robert Castelino, Khobar Friends and well wishers were appreciated.
The House championship was won by Red House, while the Green House secured the runner-up, followed by Yellow House and Blue House respectively.
Delicious breakfast, lunch and snacks relished by everyone were served during the day.
Overall, it was a day filled with joy and physical activity for the members, besides the rare chance to showcase their talent through outdoor sports.
The advisory committee member Ravi Karkera thanked and appreciated all the sponsors for their generous contribution and great gesture. He appreciated the great efforts put in by the sports committee head Praveen Peter Aranha and his deputy Naveen Shetty Khobar, the sports committee members and the registration crew. He also thanked all the other committee members and MASA members for making the Sports Day event a great success and memorable one.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks and the National Anthem.