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SFA Championships’ edition six records historic athlete participation
Mumbai: The Mumbai edition of SFA Championships 2023-2024, is set to commence with the stellar participation of over 17,000 athletes, competing in more than 30 categories of sports. With over 800 schools having confirmed their participation, the battle for discovering the “number one school in sports” in the city, seems to get tougher and intense.
Priyadarshini Park Sports Complex, Mumbai University, Kalina, Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai Police grounds, Mumbai Hockey Association, National Sports Club of India – will be the hosting venues for school athletes from 26 November to 7 December. The sixth edition of SFA Championships has received an overwhelming number of registrations from Mumbai. With 64 per cent participation coming from male athletes and 36 per cent female athletes, the top preferred sports registered for are football, athletics, basketball, swimming and chess, showcasing the multifaceted talent that exists among the youth.
In this Mumbai edition of the SFA Championships, gymnastics, skating, and speedcubing will be introduced for the first time. Skating is expected to witness the participation of nearly 700 athletes, Speedcubing and Gymnastics will see the involvement of close to 200 participants (for each sport), marking a promising beginning for these sports in the Championships. The 2023-2024 Mumbai edition of SFA Championships has athletics, basketball, football, swimming, and skating as top sports participated by female athletes, whereas football, athletics, basketball, chess and swimming as top sports in male participation.
SFA Championships are India’s largest multi-sport school competitions, enabling an opportunity for youth to unleash their fullest potential through joyful and inspiring sporting experiences. These Championships are revolutionising the way school sports are experienced in India. The vision is to host 150 championships across 50 cities, in the next five years. Building a single unifying platform to discover talent at the click of a button, across multi-sports, is how SFA has envisioned to encourage two lakh athletes to play at the 10 SFA Championships across Indore, Jaipur, Uttarakhand (Dehradun), Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Nagpur, Delhi, and Ahmedabad, within a span of four months.
The partnership of Sports For All (SFA) and Viacom18, will together make school sports accessible to millions of sports fans, across the country. Viacom18 will present the best action from the SFA Championships 2023-2024 starting 3 December on JioCinema, Sports18-2, and Sports18 Khel channels.
Stay tuned to www.sfaplay.com for all the match updates and school leaderboard. On Day 1, school athletes will be competing at Priyadarshini Park Sports Complex in athletics and tennis.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
