Vijayawada: National doctors’ sports meet from today

Vijayawada: Under the aegis of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and state branch of Andhra Pradesh, the Vijayawada branch of IMA and Vijayawada Doctors Sports Academy are jointly organising the five-day National Doctors Sports Meet starting from Wednesday here, announced IMA state president Dr G Ravikrishna here on Tuesday.

IMA state general secretary Dr P Phanidhar, finance secretary Dr M Ravindranath, Vijayawada organising committee chairman Dr Pattabhiramaiah, secretary Dr Tummala Kartik, IMA Vijayawada president Dr Chalasani Pramod Kumar and secretary Dr Akkineni Sivaram also addressed the media.

The senior doctors, elaborating on the sports meet, said that the Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) will be the main sports arena. Various competitions would be conducted at Doctors Sports Ground near ANU, Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium, Krishna district shooting range, Viva School swimming pool, MSK Prasad Cricket Grounds, Nimrah College cricket ground, KK Ground, Guntur police parade ground, RVR Ground, JC Ground and others. There would be separate competitions for men and women physicians.

The sports events include cricket, badminton, volleyball, fencing, rowing, basketball, table tennis, lawn tennis, kabaddi, chess, caroms, tennicoit, cycling, walkathon, swimming, archery, shooting, kho kho and athletics.

The doctors said that more than 1,000 doctors would be participating in the competitions from all over the country. Various committees were formed for organising various tasks. The sports associations, umpires, physical education directors are also extending their cooperation for the sports meet.

In addition, medical and scientific conference would be organised at NRI Medical College on November 25 and 26 in which 16 specialists from various departments would deliver speeches on sports medicine.

The inaugural function will be held at Doctors Sports Ground on Wednesday evening in which minister for tourism, cultural and sports RK Roja, vice-chancellor of Dr YSR University of Health Sciences, AP Medical Council chairman Dr Sambasiva Reddy, IMA national president Dr Sarad Kumar Agarwal and secretary Dr Anil Naik and other IMA leaders would participate.

The winners in the competitions will be presented prizes by the end of the day at Doctors Sports Ground and cultural programmes would also be presented. The valedictory function would be held on November 26.

Along with the sports meet, the state-level conference of Andhra Pradesh State IMA would be held on November 25 and 26.