Spoorthi 2018 (Part 3)

“The five S’s of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit.”

– Ken Doherty

Apart from hosting a slew of outdoor activities, SPoorthi also had a host of indoor sports and athletics:

CARROM

Carrom, the game which dominates almost every household in India received a warm welcome by the strikers of S.P.I.T and from various colleges in Mumbai. On 10th and 11th of February, students struggled to get the coins in their respective pockets, chasing the crucial ‘queen’ on the board ruthlessly, to gain a greater edge in the game. It was indeed a tough competition, and the gymkhana was filled with their excited voices and the clash of the strikers with the coins.

Ten participants competed in the doubles event, while fourteen students took part in the singles event. Chandan and Meeral won the first place, Tej and Dhruv were the runners-up. Dhruv emerged victorious in the singles event, while Asif finished in second place. Rahul Guhekar, one of the organizers said, “Organizing carrom was an exhilarating experience for me. The fun the people had, the management skills that I learned, and the power of teamwork that I witnessed, are irreplaceable.”

CHESS

Chess enthusiasts across Mumbai entered the grand arena, S.P.I.T, to compete against each other in a heated competition. Participants were forced to rack their brains for newer, more novel stratagems against their opponents. With checkmates and en passant moves played by the ever-contemplating participants, monochromatic knights and rooks dominated the checkered board alongside the ever faithful pawns under the watch of the great queens.

A total of thirteen players had enrolled to play the game and six of them advanced to the next round. Kaushik Raichura from Narsee Monji college bagged the first prize and Pratik Thorwe, a SPITian came in second. The winners were presented with prizes soon after the event and certificates were given to all the participants. Rohan Jagtap, one of the organizers said, “Chess as a game is challenging of course, but managing the event was even more. As joyous as it was. The pressure was for real and I think it will really be helpful for me in the future, at many places.”

TABLE TENNIS

Spectators cheered as they watched the contenders answer the moves of their opponents with lightning-fast reflexes. Friend battled friend, favoring none, trying to climb the ladder and outmaneuver the other. Amidst the frenzy of this fast-paced game environment, two Shah and Anchor College of Engineering students, Urvi Manoj Shah and Moiza Ansari won the first and the second place respectively.

Gagan Holani, An organizer said, “The fun of this game doesn’t lie within the connection of racket-and-ball, it’s how you play with the opponent’s mind! The second fastest game in the world is all about the coordination, and I feel honored to manage such an event.”

– Report by VPDI and Erza Scarlet