Media Release
Dubai, May 7: The Emirates Konkans of Kasargod, UAE – a prominent association representing the Kasargod deanery in the UAE – hosted the grand finale of their much-anticipated annual sports fest, Khelotsav 2024–25, on Saturday night at Sports Bay Stadium, Dubai. The vibrant event united a large and enthusiastic community, celebrating not only sportsmanship but also cultural unity and tradition.
The evening commenced with a prayer song, followed by a warm welcome from the association’s founder-president, Santhosh Perla. Among the esteemed guests were Rony Crasta from Bela, one of the earliest NRI members from Kasargod, and noted writer and artist Raju Ukkinadka, who both inspired the gathering with their encouraging words.
Khelotsav, which was inaugurated last September by Joseph Mathias, spanned over seven months and featured an array of sporting competitions. Events included badminton, volleyball, throwball, football, chess, carom, darts, snooker, bowling, lagori, dodgeball, and cricket, across multiple categories. The final day saw exciting cricket and dodgeball tournaments conclude the season.
After a thrilling cricket final between six competitive teams, United KL-14 emerged as the champions, defeating Sporting KSD. In the overall standings, Atletico Casrod clinched the Khelotsav 2024–25 Championship title with an impressive 80 points. United KL-14 secured the first runner-up position with 68 points, while Sporting KSD took Second runner-up.
Beyond sports, the finale included a host of creative and family-friendly activities such as palm painting, photo frame making, mehendi designing, kite flying, and more – ensuring engagement for attendees of all ages. A community dinner added warmth and camaraderie to the festive atmosphere.
The programme concluded leaving participants with unforgettable memories and a strengthened sense of community spirit. The organizers announced plans for more innovative and inclusive events in the future and welcomed participant feedback to help shape upcoming programmes.
President Laila D’Souza delivered the vote of thanks and outlined the association’s future plans. The event was smoothly compered by Stegita, Santhosh Talapady, Deepak D’Souza, Edward Bela, and Mithun Kumbla.