Kerala School Olympics 2025 Ready to Begin With New Events and Inclusive Sports

Thiruvananthapuram: The 67th Kerala State School Sports Meet, modeled on the Olympics, will begin on Tuesday at the Thiruvananthapuram University Stadium. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the event at 4 PM, while football legend I. M. Vijayan will light the ceremonial torch. Over 3,000 students will participate in cultural programs, and sports stars will join the march-past.
Competitions across 12 stadiums in the city will start on Wednesday, involving around 1,00,000 students, including specially-abled athletes and students from the Gulf region. The inclusive sports segment will feature 1,944 children with disabilities on the first day of events. About 800 officials and 2,000 volunteers are deployed to maintain discipline and ensure the safety of students at all venues.

Olympics-Style Concept

Following the success of last year’s first Olympics-style school sports meet in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram has adopted the same format to provide modern facilities for athletes and encourage public participation. Accommodation has been arranged in 75 schools, and 200 buses are available for transportation. Food has been arranged at Putharikandam Ground and four other locations. A 16-subcommittee organizing team is managing all arrangements.

Inclusive Sports: Overcoming Limitations Together

Inclusive sports continues to be a central feature of the state school Olympics. Children with disabilities are newly competing in cricket for boys, “Bocce” (box ball) for girls, as well as badminton, football, handball, long jump, 100m sprint, and mixed 4x100m relay. Bocce allows girls with disabilities to play using one hand, while cricket teams must include 10 children with disabilities out of 11 players.
Participants with limited mobility receive assistance, and general category students can play in limited roles. The state currently recognizes 23 categories for children with special abilities, ranging from visual impairments to autism. This initiative reinforces inclusive education, giving these children opportunities to compete alongside their peers.

New Sports Added: Kalaripayattu, Fencing, and Yoga

Kalaripayattu has been added to the school Olympics, even though the Indian Olympic Association does not recognize it as a national games discipline. Competitions will be held in three categories—Chuvadukal (individual), May Payattu (individual), and Neduvadi Payattu (two-person team)—for Under-17 and Under-19 students. Fencing and yoga have also been included, with events for U-14 and U-17 categories.

Gulf Students Participate

For the second consecutive year, students from the Gulf are participating, with girls joining for the first time. Five girls—Ayesha Nawab, Sana Fathim, Shaikh Ali, Tamanna, and Naj Fathim—are part of a 47-member delegation, including 39 boys and eight teachers. Students were selected through trials at Dubai New Indian Model School and represent five schools across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, and Um Al Quwain. Girls will compete in athletics, while boys will take part in athletics, football, basketball, and badminton.

Student-Composed Theme Song

For the first time in the history of the state school sports meet, a theme song created entirely by students has been released. Minister V. Sivankutty unveiled the song along with the official event handbook. Lyrics were written by Prabhuldas V., a 12th-grade student from Pottassery Government Higher Secondary School, Palakkad, and music direction was by Shivankari P. Thankachi, a 9th-grade student from Cottonhill Government Girls Higher Secondary School. Students from across Kerala contributed as vocalists and instrumentalists, and KITE Victors handled the video production.