With a focus on widening participation and strengthening the grassroots sports ecosystem, the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs has announced two back-to-back sporting initiatives in Sri Vijaya Puram, combining competitive exposure with structured talent identification under national programmes.
An Open Basketball Championship for men and women will be organised in a 3×3 format on December 6 and 7 at the Basketball Court of the Netaji Stadium Complex. The matches will commence from 5 pm onwards, with team registrations and fixtures scheduled earlier the same day. Unlike traditional full-court formats, the 3×3 version allows compact teams comprising a maximum of four players, including one substitute, encouraging faster play and broader participation.
The championship has been opened free of cost to participants from government and private schools, colleges, institutions, organisations and youth clubs across the islands. Entry forms will be available at the Administrative Block of the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, and interested teams must complete registration by 3 pm on December 6. Fixtures will be drawn at 4 pm at the venue, ahead of the inaugural match.
Officials associated with the event indicated that shifting to the 3×3 format aligns with current trends in competitive basketball and allows organisers to accommodate more teams within a limited timeframe, while also promoting inclusivity.
Close on the heels of the basketball event, the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs will conduct selection and talent identification trials for young athletes aged between 10 and 17 years for induction into the Khelo India Centre at Sri Vijaya Puram. The trials, scheduled for December 7 at the Netaji Stadium ground, will focus on the discipline of athletics.
The Khelo India Centre is a key component of the national Khelo India scheme, aimed at nurturing promising sportspersons at an early stage through scientific training, coaching, regular monitoring and access to sports equipment. The selection process will involve a general physical test followed by discipline-specific evaluations to assess athletic potential.
Participants reporting for the trials have been instructed to bring original and photocopies of birth certificates and Aadhaar cards, along with two passport-size photographs. The talent identification drive is expected to attract aspiring athletes from across South Andaman and adjoining areas.
Sports officials said the back-to-back scheduling of competitive and developmental events reflects an effort to maintain year-round engagement with youth and identify pathways from open participation to structured training. The initiatives are also expected to help coaches assess emerging talent while familiarising young players with organised sporting environments.
Together, the open basketball championship and the Khelo India athletics trials underline the department’s intent to balance mass participation with elite development, at a time when the islands are seeking to strengthen their presence in national-level sporting platforms.
