Ghittorni school pays back in a humble way

20/12/2015

As one speeds on the national highway from Gurgaon, just crossed the Haryana border on Delhi direction, the school stands out.

Government Boys Senior Secondary School borders the busy highway, lies a bit head of series of shops that dot the roadline.

One Thousand Hockey Legs started hockey here two seasons ago. As usual there was enough enthusiasm with the school principal YS Negi, taking special interest to improve things overall.

The boys have done reasonably well; won their Zonal hockey competition, and brought first ever sports cup to the remotely located school.

Goalie Sagar Chandra, forwards Farman Ansari, Sagar Nepali, Guddu, Chandra Bhusan and others slowly started asserting.

They played in the Prof Joe Ezekiel Memorial Cup, Birendranath Ghosh Cup, Cairns Juniors Cup but came on their own in the 13th Modernite Inter-School Cup.

One Thousand Hockey Legs runs hockey in 24 schools in Delhi alone; and is always finds it difficult to select teams for various tournaments.

A bold decision was taken to field the Ghittorni Uner-14 team for the prestigious competition.

The team did well, won the silver. The principal was informed of the success belatedly, still he could manage to reach the ground at National Stadium, India Gate.

The boys were then handpicked to tour many places including Lucknow, where they took part in the KD Singh Babu tournament, took part in various selection trials.

Principal Negi, and his staff were so elated on the quick but solid progress their boys have made in the realm of hockey that they surprised us recently with a Commemoration Function.

All boys were assembled, parents of all hockey players present, when OTHL founder and CEO K. Arumugam was accorded a warm welcome and presented with thoughtful memorabilia.

“I know Baba Amte’s social work. Here, we have a person who left his job in order to work among kids. Therefore, I take pleasure in presenting him a biography of Baba Amte”.

He also informed the parents how the NGO spends money and material to start, run hockey team in the school, and how boys picked up good things early on especially discipline.

“There is no sport or any walk of life without discipline”, the able administrator stressed.

On his turn, K. Arumugam elaborated on future plans for the school.

“We intend to concentrate on a select few schools for the next academic season. We wish to start 6-a-side hockey teams for each section of 6th and 7th classes. We will start the new scheme from Ghittorni”, he said.

“Principal YS Negi is our inspiration while hardworking hockey boys are our motivation”, said the functionary. He also advised boys to give equal importance to education and sports, not at the cost of each other.

Vice-principal of the school, a political bigwig, volunteer Thendramil Pavai, who looks after website and social media of OTHL, also spoke.

English teacher Sunil Kumar compered the program.

OTHL functionaries were also given the privilege to release the Annual Souvenir whose back cover sports medal winning hockey team!

Its first time a beneficiary school organized such a commemoration function in the 7-year annals of OTHL.

The OTHL functionaries were not told in advance about the function but were surprised when turned up.

The Ghittorni school hockey team: Chander Bhusan, Sonu, Manjeet Lohia, Roshan, Farman Ansari, Shekhar, Rohit, Anurag Singh, Rambabu, Sahil Singh, Jai Prakash, Guddu Kumar, Sagar Nepali, Manish Kumar, Prince Kumar, Piyush and Ghan Shyam.