Panchayat Union Primary School, Havoor near Kothagiri, bagged the overall champion in the District Level Carom Tournament.

According to sources, 140 students from 26 schools from Nilgiris district participated in the tournament organised by the Sports Development Authority of India. The tournament has been organized under four different categories Boys Singles and Doubles, Girls Singles and Doubles under junior and senior level.

The Students from Panchayat Union Primary School, Havoor bagged first places in all the four categories – boys (singles and doubles) and girls (singles and doubles). The winners would participate in the State-level carom tournament.

H.T. Kumar, District Sports and Youth Welfare Officer inaugurated the tournament. K Pitchaippan, District Chief Education Officer distributed the prizes.

The Principal of the school, J. Ravikumar, told The Covai Post that their students have been representing the district in the State-level tournament for the last six years. “We have been giving them intense coaching to the students, who have also shown keen interest in the game. Realising the importance of sports, parents are also extending full cooperation to us. Some of them have even purchased carom boards for their kids at home,” he said.

He also lauded the students for excelling in debates, that have gone viral. He thanked his teachers for encouraging the students and shaping them up well. Impressed over the students’ skills, two German students Adriana Browne and Tim Altendorf from the Martin Luther Schule in Rimbach organised a fund raising programme in their country and handed over Rs 6.25 lakh to the school through Kotagiri Island Trust, the Principal said. The panchayat union school is looking for sponsors to buy a van of its own to take its children to places where competitions are held.