Press Release - September 29, 2004
XLRI beats shell-shocked IIM Calcutta
in 33rd Annual Clash of two "traditions"

Previous

It's 33 years. So, what are the plans for the future? Navinder Singh Dullat, Secretary, Sports Committee of XLRI elaborates: "Lots of spectator sports like swimming, water polo, long jump, high jump, etc. could be included but for the lack of training facilities. We lost out on those events like volleyball and tennis, which we do not have facilities to practice regularly. XLRI stamped its authority on the meet by beating IIM C over the whole range of events, from intellectual sports like chess and bridge, to traditional physical sports like football, basketball and cricket. And this in spite of having a much smaller batch size and far fewer sports facilities than IIM C, thus proving that quality beats quantity."

In true traditional style later that night, the two rivals put up a Rock Show and the Prize distribution ceremony was held with XLRI taking home trophy. The guests bid adieu to XLRI in the wee hours, extending invitations for the meet which is to happen next year at Kolkata, and promising to avenge the heavy defeat suffered this year. Awards were also given to the best sportsperson from both teams (Atul Mehta of IIMC and Vikram Dani of XLRI), based on their contribution throughout the meet.

Fr. Augustine, the Faculty Advisor for Sports and Fr. James Santhanam, Financial Controller, being sportsmen themselves, gave enthusiastic support and help in organising the event. The sponsor for the event was The Tinplate Company of India, headed by Mr. Bhushen Raina, an alumnus of XLRI and also the National Head of the alumni network.

FROM ALUMNI
Once news of the comprehensive win spread among XLRI Alumni through the numerous Yahoo groups on Monday morning, there was widespread jubilation across corporate offices. Congratulatory messages continue to come in for the feat; in fact, alumni have also written demanding commemorative T Shirts as special souvenirs. Suffice to say how closely they identify with the meet.

XLRI - IIM C MEET: THE HISTORY
In the early 1970s, the students of the two Schools felt the need for a lasting relationship that would facilitate an exchange of ideas and thoughts and also to have some fun. Though the institutions were separated by only a few hundred kilometers, there was hardly any meeting between them prior to that. So, they planned an annual rendezvous wherein they would participate in academic seminars, presentations and some sports over a weekend in winter. Over the years, as new generations entered the portals of both Institutions, the raison d'être behind the meet - exchange of ideas, thoughts, etc. - started tilting more towards another arena, which forms the mainstay today: what was originally included along the sidelines to generate interest and have fun - sports - started taking centre stage.

Now, every year in September or October, the students of the two Institutes meet at either of the Campuses in what has been dubbed the "mother of all sports meets". The venue alternates between Jamshedpur and Calcutta.

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Contributed by -
Gaurav Kathotia,
Senior Executive Member,
External Linkages Cell,
XLRI, Jamshedpur.