Loyola School hosted the CISCE Regional Handball Tournament at the iconic JRD Tata Sports Complex, bringing together 257 young handball players from different zones of Jharkhand and Bihar. The tournament provided a vibrant platform for budding athletes to showcase their talent, discipline, teamwork and competitive spirit.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Fr. Michael T. Raj, Rector, Loyola School, Fr. Vinod Fernandes, Principal, Mrs. Victoria Prasad, Coordinator, CISCE Zonal Sports Coordinator Mrs. Preeti Sinha, Mr. Khurshid Khan, General Secretary, Jharkhand State Handball Association and Technical Chairman, Handball Federation of India (HFI).

The programme commenced with a prayer song invoking the blessings of the Almighty.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Robert Boson, was felicitated for his distinguished contribution to handball and sports education. Mr. Boson served in Tata Steel's Sports Department from 1983 to 2003. He played in 19 national and five international handball championships and represented India at the 1990 Asian Handball Championship in Bahrain. A certified aerobics and fitness instructor by Reebok, he served Loyola School for nearly 14 years before retiring from there in May 2023. He was welcomed with a sapling and presented with a memento as a mark of appreciation. Mrs. Preeti Sinha and Mr. Khurshid Khan were also welcomed with saplings.

A significant moment of the inaugural ceremony was the hoisting of the CISCE Regional Flag by the dignitaries. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest encouraged the young athletes to demonstrate determination, sportsmanship and teamwork while striving for excellence. He then officially declared the tournament open.

At the conclusion of the tournament, match officials and referees were felicitated by Mrs. Jayanthi Sheshadri, Vice Principal, Loyola School, for their impartiality, dedication and commitment to ensuring fair and safe conduct of the matches. The officials felicitated included Mr. Azim Khan, Mr. Nadeem Quraishi, Mr. Shahrukh Anwar and Mr. Md. Asif. The selectors, Mr. Khurshid Khan and Mr. Syed Azhar Hussain, were also acknowledged for their contribution.

In the Under 14 boys category, Jamshedpur team came first and Ranchi second. In the Under 14 girls category, Jamshedpur won the first place, Ranchi second and Giridih, the third.  Jamshedpur dominated the Under 17 girls category, followed by Ranchi at second and Giridih at the 3rd position.

In the Under 17 boys, Jamshedpur secured the top spot followed by Ranchi at second and Giridih at third. The under 19 girls category was won by Jamshedpur with Ranchi coming second. In the Under 19 boys, Jamshedpur was first and Ranchi came second.

The tournament concluded on a high note, celebrating not merely victories but also the values of resilience, discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship that lie at the heart of competitive sport.