Vidvar Boys Mangalore clinch title at Gangolli Premier League VI in Sharjah
Sharjah, UAE: Vidvar Boys Mangalore emerged as champions of the sixth edition of the Gangolli Premier League (GPL), defeating Team Shine Mangalore South in a thrilling final held at the Bejoice Cricket Club Ground in Bateaya, Sharjah.
Organized by Gangolli Cricketers UAE, the hard tennis cricket tournament took place on March 29 and featured eight competitive teams. The event, widely regarded as a cricket carnival among the UAE’s coastal Karnataka community, unfolded in a vibrant setting with enthusiastic crowds, colorful team jerseys, and favorable weather conditions following recent rains.
The participating teams included Team Nafis Farangipet, Dimx Blaster Bengaluru, Vidvar Boys Mangalore, Team Shine Mangalore South, Al Sitara Friends Udupi, Kundapura Ptech Risers, Strikers Gangolli, and SM Warriors Upper Gangolli. The tournament followed a league format, dividing teams into two groups of four, with the top performers advancing to the semi-finals.
Strikers Gangolli, Al Sitara Friends Udupi, Team Shine Mangalore South, and Vidvar Boys Mangalore progressed to the semi-finals after a series of closely contested matches, many of which were decided in the final overs.
In the championship match, Vidvar Boys Mangalore delivered a dominant performance to secure the title. Captain Shiva Prasad Kateel played a pivotal role in the team’s success and was named both Man of the Match and Player of the Tournament. Kirtan Shetty received the Best Bowler award, while Junaid B was recognized as Best Batsman. The Sameer Fair Play Award was presented to Al Sitara Friends Udupi for their discipline and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
The closing ceremony was attended by Taj Jamal, Sunil Shetty, Mohamed Akram, Mohamed Shafi, and Zaheer Baikampady.
Earlier in the day, organizers held a memorial assembly in tribute to the late Mohamed Sameer Shareef, who passed away a week prior. Friends, family members, players, and spectators gathered to honor his contributions, observing a two-minute silence. Prayers were recited by Mohamed Irshad Udupi, and the session was compered by Cleven Shirva.
Speaking on behalf of the organizing team, Althaf Khalife acknowledged Sameer’s contributions to the league and thanked all participating teams, sponsors, and volunteers for their support. Key sponsors included Northern Insurance Brokers LLC, Tanzeem Auto Garage and Final Touch Auto Service, Dimx Atelier Interior Design LLC, and Vivek Nayak Gangolli.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
