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BITS Pilani Dubai Campus won the gold in the inter-university men's cricket tournament at 21st BITS Sports Festival along with Prof. Souri Banerjee, Dr. Rafiuddin, Dr. Geetha and VVS Laxman. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Vigour, valour and victory were the buzz words as the five-day BITS Pilani Sports Festival came to an end recently.

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The 21st edition of the inter-university sporting extravaganza saw a record 34 universities and 5,000 students participating in 10 different disciplines.

In addition, the BITS Pilani Sports Festival for Schools 29 schools with over 1,200 students competing in a variety of events.

Nail-biting finishes

High intensity games, nail -biting finishes and the spirit of sportsmanship were witnessed as the teams vied for top spots in multiple sports categories such as football, cricket, throwball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and athletics along with indoor games like chess, badminton, and table tennis. The adrenaline rush was strongly felt among spectators too, as the teams battled it out to crown the best of best in each category.

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BITS Pilani Dubai Campus awarded the Inter-University Overall Championship Trophy. Image Credit: Supplied

The BITS Pilani Dubai Campus won the overall championship for universities with nine gold and seven silver medals, while Dubai Private School, Sharjah secured the overall championship for schools.

Juggling two dreams

Addressing the students at the closing ceremony, former Indian batter V.V.S. Laxman, the chief guest of the ceremony, spoke about the predicament he had faced when he was a student and how sport has brought a huge transformation in his life.

“I grew up juggling two dreams — one was to become a cricketer, and the other was to follow in my parents’ footsteps and become a doctor. Coming from a family of doctors, there was always an unspoken expectation to continue the tradition, but my love for cricket was unwavering. To resolve this, I set myself clear deadlines to decide my future.

"By the time I finished my 12th grade, I realised that my passion for cricket was too strong to ignore. I made the difficult decision to pursue cricket full-time, even though it meant stepping away from the family tradition. Looking back, that decision paved the way for me to become one of India’s Test cricketers,” said the elegant batter who makes batting look easy.

Prof. Souri Banerjee, Director of BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, Dr. Geetha, Dean Student Welfare, and Dr. M. Rafiuddin, Convener, BSF, students and staff from various colleges and sponsors were present during the closing ceremony.

Established in 2003 by Dr. M. Rafiuddin, the BITS Sports Festival (BSF) has evolved from a modest event featuring four sports to a grand spectacle encompassing 11 disciplines.