Hyderabad: The CBSE Cluster VII Basketball Sports Meet 2025 for girls in the U/14, U/17, and U/19 categories commenced at Indus Universal School, Yapral, Secunderabad. The four-day event, being held from August 23 to 26, witnessed an energetic opening ceremony marked by tradition, sportsmanship, and cultural performances.

The meet was formally inaugurated by I. Prabhakar Reddy, Chairman of Indus Universal School, who served as the Chief Guest. He was joined by the school’s Directors Linga Reddy and Vijay Kumar, Principal K.V. Neelima, Vice Principal E. Sreekanth, Headmistress Lydia Uday, Finance Manager and Executive Secretary to the Board E. Kishan, and special guest Prem Kumar Yadav, Technical Commission Chairman of the Telangana Basketball Association.

The ceremony began with the lighting of the lamp, followed by the hoisting of the CBSE sports flag and the school flag. A march past by all participating teams showcased discipline and unity, while a classical dance performance by Indus students added a cultural touch to the occasion.

Highlighting the importance of physical education, Chief Guest Prabhakar Reddy said sports are integral to the CBSE curriculum and to holistic student development at Indus. The sports torch relay, led by Junior Sports Captain Piyush Roy and culminating with Sports Captain Sudheev Neerukonda lighting the flame, symbolized the start of the tournament. Neerukonda also administered the players’ oath. A total of 107 schools from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are participating, fielding 151 teams across the three categories, with nearly 1,800 students competing in the tournament.