The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are set for a busy sporting calendar in August, with the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA) announcing a string of activities ranging from recruitment under the Khelo India scheme to inter-school road races and an elaborate Sports Week in celebration of National Sports Day 2025.
The DSYA, in its latest notification, has extended the deadline for applications from past champion athletes for positions at Khelo India Centres across the islands. Initially scheduled to close in July, the last date for submission of applications has now been extended to August 25, allowing more eligible candidates to apply. Selected athletes will be appointed on a contractual basis with a monthly remuneration of ₹25,000 for a tenure of one year.
The move is aimed at bolstering grassroots sports by engaging accomplished athletes in disciplines such as archery, hockey, football, volleyball, badminton, and athletics. The centres are located across North & Middle Andaman, Nicobar, and South Andaman, ensuring wide coverage. Venues such as Vivekananda Stadium at Diglipur, Forest Ground at Baratang, Mini Stadium at Campbell Bay, Indira Park at Kamorta, BJR Stadium at Car Nicobar, and Netaji Stadium at Sri Vijaya Puram have been earmarked for these centres. The focus is on nurturing talent by providing specialised coaching, bridging the gap between grassroots athletes and professional training.
While the Khelo India Centres initiative opens doors for the youth, the islands are also preparing to mark National Sports Day with a range of competitions. In South Andaman, the Deputy Education Office has scheduled an Inter-School Road Race Competition on August 19. The event is open to under-17 boys and girls from government and private schools. Boys will run a 10 km stretch starting from Netaji Stadium, covering routes via Girls School, Government Press, Hotel Sinclair, Mazar, Science Centre, and Corbyn’s Cove before returning. Girls will run a shorter 5 km route that loops back from Mazar. Winners will receive trophies, medals, and certificates during the formal National Sports Day function to be held on August 29.
Beyond these preliminary events, the biggest highlight is the Sports Week that will run from August 19 to 31. Organised by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in collaboration with the Department of Education, the programme is designed to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. The week-long celebration will witness an array of sporting events catering to school children, professional athletes, divyang participants, and even senior citizens.
The calendar is diverse. Competitions include badminton, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, football, swimming, basketball, cycling, archery, and marathon races. There are also events tailored for inclusive participation such as tug of war, spoon race, sack race, rope skipping, and yoga. Special events have been earmarked for senior citizens, including walking and cycling competitions, ensuring the celebrations are not restricted to the young alone.
Among the major attractions is Marathon 3.0, scheduled for August 24, with distances of 10 km for men and 5 km for women. School children and divyang participants will also take part in this event, which begins at Chunna Batta and ends at North Bay. The organisers have encouraged wide participation by allowing registrations over phone until August 18.
Venues across Sri Vijaya Puram, including Netaji Stadium and JNRM Football Ground, will serve as focal points of the Sports Week, ensuring both indoor and outdoor sports are represented. Local coaches and physical education teachers have been designated as event organisers, with contact details circulated widely to facilitate participation.
The scale of the programme underlines the administration’s emphasis on sports as a vehicle for community engagement, talent development, and physical fitness. By combining structured competitions like football and badminton with recreational events like sack races and rope skipping, the initiative appeals to both athletes and the wider public. The mix of competitive and fun events also reflects the administration’s attempt to make sports more inclusive, moving beyond the traditional confines of professional training.
For the islands, sports events carry added significance. Limited infrastructure and geographic constraints often mean fewer opportunities for athletes to gain exposure. Initiatives like Khelo India Centres, coupled with local competitions, create platforms that can identify and nurture potential talent while building a sporting culture. With the top athletes from the state championships often moving on to represent the islands at national competitions, such grassroots efforts serve as an essential pipeline.
The focus on National Sports Day also has symbolic resonance. Celebrated on August 29, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand is an occasion to reaffirm India’s sporting heritage. In the Andamans, the celebrations have grown into an annual feature that now spans multiple days, reflecting increasing participation from schools, institutions, and the general public.
As the islands prepare for the fortnight of activities, the administration has cautioned that schedules remain subject to weather conditions, given the unpredictability of August rains. Nevertheless, the overall message remains clear: sports in the Andamans are being positioned not just as competitions but as platforms for inclusion, awareness, and empowerment.
The coming weeks will therefore see schoolchildren racing along coastal roads, senior citizens testing endurance in walking events, and athletes striving for excellence in courts and fields. Combined with the opportunity provided by the Khelo India Centres, the celebrations point towards a sustained effort to weave sports into the daily life of the islands.
The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs has set the tone for National Sports Day 2025 by combining employment opportunities, competitive events, and recreational activities into a single continuum. For the people of Andaman and Nicobar, this convergence is both a celebration of sporting spirit and a reminder of the islands’ growing role in India’s wider sports movement.
