22nd State Excise Arts and Sports meet begins in Kollam

KOLLAM The 22nd State Excise Arts and Sports Meet will take place from November 11 to 13 across three major venues in Kollam—Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, S.N. Cultural Complex, and Asramam maidan. District and zonal winners from across Kerala will compete in this State-level championship.

The athletic and sports events feature a wide range of games including football, volleyball, cricket, kabaddi, badminton, chess, and track and field events. Arm wrestling makes its debut as an official game item this year, alongside tug-of-war. Sports Council paneled referees will oversee all matches to ensure fair play across general, junior, and veteran categories for both men and women.

Meanwhile, all cultural competitions will be hosted across five stages at the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex. The arts segment includes literary contests, classical music, dance forms like Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam, drama, fancy dress, and bodybuilding. A ceremonial torch relay, arriving from Oachira with prominent athletes, will reach the Chinnakada Excise Complex to mark the prelude.