The 32nd All India Postal Football Tournament will be held at the Olympian Rahman Stadium at Government Medical College, Kozhikode, from October 29 to November 2. Chief Post Master General of Kerala Circle Sharda Sampath told reporters here on Wednesday that Member (Technology) of Postal Services Board Salim Haque will open the event at 3 p.m. on October 29 in the presence of international footballer I.M. Vijayan. Ms. Sampath will preside over the event in which a special postal cover on Olympian T. Abdul Rahman will be released. Footballer U. Sharafali will be the guest of honour at the closing function at 5 p.m. on November 2.
Teams from different postal circles such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh besides the hosts Kerala will take part in the tournament.
Ms. Sampath said the department was making efforts to promote all kinds of sports by absorbing young talents. “Periodically, recruitments are made from outstanding performers in sports of different disciplines. It is a transparent process. We have national-level competitions in athletics, cycling, cricket, volleyball, basketball, kabadi, chess, caroms, wrestling, powerlifting, weightlifting, hockey, table tennis and badmintion,” she said.
Postmaster General (North) Juthendra Gupta, Director of Postal Services (Northern Region) Manoj Kumar and Assistant Director (Welfare and Sports) K. Gopalan were present at the press meet.