Media Release
Mangaluru, Jan 10: The much-anticipated 'Aloysian Games 2026' were officially inaugurated on January 9 at St Aloysius Deemed to be University campus, marking the opening of one of the region’s largest inter-school and inter-collegiate sports tournaments. The inauguration ceremony was graced by Fr Praveen Martis, vice-chancellor, St Aloysius Deemed to be University, as the chief guest, along with Asit Kulkarni, business head, Sports Reconnect.
The two-day sporting extravaganza on January 9 and 10 has attracted over 2,000 participants from schools, high schools, PUCs, colleges, institutions, and universities across Mangaluru and surrounding towns. The tournament is open to the public, and citizens are invited to witness high-energy competitions, along with food, games, and shopping stalls set up at the venue.
Speaking at the inauguration, Asit Kulkarni stated that the Aloysian Games is a remarkable initiative by St Aloysius Deemed to be University to promote sports and fitness among youngsters from school-going children to university students and aims to evolve into a marquee student sports event in South India. He also invited the public to participate in the Aloysian Run scheduled for January 18, for which registrations are now open.
A key highlight of this year’s games is the introduction of pickleball, being inaugurated for the first time at an educational institution in Mangaluru. Three outdoor pickleball courts will be inaugurated on Saturday, January 10 at 1:00 PM. The facility will be accessible to all Mangalureans via the ZEMO web app, encouraging wider community participation.
Addressing the gathering, Fr Praveen Martis reaffirmed the university’s long-standing commitment to sports excellence and congratulated Sports Reconnect and ZEMO for organizing the tournament. He invited citizens and families to be part of the Aloysian Games celebrations.
The organizers also expressed gratitude to all partners, including the department of youth empowerment and sports (Institution Partner), Decathlon (Sports Partner), Zixa (Pain Relief Partner), Red FM 93.5 (Radio Partner), Lite Eatz (Bakery Partner), and Perfect Pass (Arena Partner).