260 students join SAI drug-free sports event in Vadodara's Bajwa
Synopsis
The Sports Authority of India brought its anti-drug 'Nasha Mukt Yuva' campaign to a Vadodara school on 14 November, drawing 260 students into a full day of competitive sport — from kabaddi and volleyball to 100-metre sprints — as a grassroots demonstration that athletics can be a credible alternative to substance abuse.
Key Takeaways
260 students from Shree Mahireva Adarsh Vidyalaya and Vakal Vidyalaya participated in the event at Bajwa, Vadodara on 14 November 2026 .
The event was organised by SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar in collaboration with MY Bharat under the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva – For Viksit Bharat' campaign.
Competitions included volleyball, kabaddi, badminton, 100m and 200m races, tug of war, chess, and carrom , preceded by yoga and meditation .
Vakal Vidyalaya won boys' kabaddi, boys' volleyball, and both tug-of-war events; Mahireva was runner-up in each.
Former Vadodara MP Jayaben Thakkar attended as chief guest and endorsed the Fit India Movement and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sports initiatives.
Around 260 students from two schools in Bajwa, Vadodara took part in a sports event organised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Regional Centre Gandhinagar, at Shree Mahireva Adarsh Vidyalaya on Saturday, 14 November 2026, as part of the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva – For Viksit Bharat' campaign. The initiative aims to steer young people away from substance abuse by channelling their energy into competitive sports and physical activity.
Schools and Events
Students from Shree Mahireva Adarsh Vidyalaya and Vakal Vidyalaya competed across a range of individual and team disciplines. The programme opened with a session of yoga and meditation, underscoring the dual importance of physical fitness and mental well-being before transitioning to competitive events including volleyball, kabaddi, badminton, 100-metre and 200-metre races, tug of war, chess, and carrom.
Key Results
In the 100-metre race, Prathna Bariya, Kirti Chauhan, and Amita Parmar claimed the top three spots in the girls' category, while Amit Parmar, Chirag Chavda, and Prjyot Saini finished first, second, and third respectively in the boys' category. The 200-metre race saw Amita Parmar win the girls' event, followed by Prathna Bariya and Seema Gohil; Amit Parmar again topped the boys' category, with Nikhil Tadvi and Naitik Kumar finishing second and third. In team events, Vakal Vidyalaya swept the boys' kabaddi, boys' volleyball, and both boys' and girls' tug-of-war, with Mahireva finishing as runner-up across each of those contests.
What the Chief Guest Said
Former Vadodara MP Jayaben Thakkar attended as chief guest and urged students to embrace sports as a lifelong habit. She praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Sports Authority of India, and the Fit India Movement in expanding grassroots sports participation. School trustee Bharatkumar Thakkar presented awards to the winners and echoed the call for continued involvement in athletics. Chandrakant Bakshi, accounts officer at MY Bharat, and teachers from both schools also attended.
Broader Campaign Context
The event was jointly organised by SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar and MY Bharat as part of a wider effort to promote grassroots sports and anti-substance-abuse awareness. The 'Nasha Mukt Yuva' campaign aligns with the Fit India Movement and the government's vision of a developed India by 2047, with an emphasis on fitness, discipline, and youth resilience against drug abuse. Such events represent an on-ground effort to convert national policy objectives into community-level behavioural change among school-going youth.
Point of View
Or whether substance-use indicators in the catchment area shift, is rarely built into these programmes. The SAI-MY Bharat collaboration is a sensible institutional pairing, but the 'Viksit Bharat 2047' framing can sometimes dwarf the modest, granular work being done on the ground — work that deserves its own metrics rather than a national slogan.
NationPress
14 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Nasha Mukt Yuva – For Viksit Bharat' campaign?
'Nasha Mukt Yuva – For Viksit Bharat' is a government-backed initiative that uses sports and physical activity to discourage substance abuse among young people, aligned with the Fit India Movement and India's development vision for 2047. It is organised at the grassroots level by SAI regional centres in collaboration with MY Bharat across schools and colleges.
Where and when did the Vadodara sports event take place?
The event was held on 14 November 2026 at Shree Mahireva Adarsh Vidyalaya in Bajwa, Vadodara, Gujarat. It was organised by SAI Regional Centre Gandhinagar in partnership with MY Bharat.
Which schools participated and what sports were held?
Students from Shree Mahireva Adarsh Vidyalaya and Vakal Vidyalaya participated. Competitions included volleyball, kabaddi, badminton, 100-metre and 200-metre races, tug of war, chess, and carrom, with the programme beginning with yoga and meditation.
Who were the notable attendees at the event?
Former Vadodara MP Jayaben Thakkar attended as chief guest, while school trustee Bharatkumar Thakkar presented awards to winners. Chandrakant Bakshi, accounts officer at MY Bharat, and teachers from both schools were also present.
How does this event connect to the Fit India Movement?
The 'Nasha Mukt Yuva' campaign is explicitly aligned with the Fit India Movement, which promotes fitness and sports participation at the community and school level. Events like this one translate the national Fit India framework into direct, competitive sporting activity for students in smaller towns and semi-urban areas.
