Rollakal School’s recent triumph at the national martial arts championship is a testament to the dedication and talent of our students. Among the 12 medalists, Rishi secured the prestigious gold medal, while others proudly earned five silver and six bronze medals. Beyond academics, RDF emphasizes holistic development through sports and cultural activities, evident in the participation of these 12 students and many more.
This victory not only celebrates individual achievements but also underscores the collaborative efforts of parents, teachers, and the school community.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Rishi and all the medalists for their exceptional performance. We hope that their success inspires future generations to pursue their passions with determination and vigor. Together, let us continue fostering a culture of excellence and achievement within RDF institutions!
Kalleda School has been providing Archery training for the past 20 years. These first generation archers, trained by our dedicated coaches, have participated in several national and international competitions and have brought glory and honour to India.
Their archery achievements have also helped them get jobs in different sectors. Jeevanji Deepthi, a prolific athelete, has participated in 100 metres competitions in international level events and is now aiming for the Olympics.
These alumni, who have achieved honours in archery and other sports, were felicitated at a local ceremony. Sri T. Harish Rao, the Finance and Helath minister of Telangana state was the guest of honour. It was a day of recognizing the hard work and accomplishments of our alumni. We wish them the very best for their future.
Developing our rural children’s’ physical and mental ability and wellbeing is a cornerstone in RDF’s education philosophy. Over the decades, we have delighted in the number of students taking up various sports going up in significant numbers. We have followed their journeys intently, building them up with kindness and encouragement when they don’t succeed, developing a love of the sport in them; and celebrating every participation and award!
20 students from Matendla School participated in the District level Athletic Meet that was conducted by the Telangana State Government in Siddipet.
We proudly announce that Ch. Pavani won a Silver medal in this meet.
We deeply thank our Physical Education Teachers who are committed to the development of every student, with their regular training session. We know that the teachers’ hard work is paying up when we see the students showing up every single day before and after school hours for practice!
We are so proud of our school teams and the nurturing environment that they provide to our students that enables them to do well in the sports arena and in the classroom too!
This is possible with their regular training under the guidance of our Physical Educational Teachers. Every day interested students practicing before and after school hours.
RDF wholeheartedly supports educating girls and this has been our mission from the start. Our school teams work actively in their rural communities to spread awareness about the importance of girl child education and share the achievements of so many of our alumna, who have made tremendous strides in their lives. They are our inspiration.
Nomula Lavanya, an alumna of RDF Kalleda School is working with the Border Security Force, where she got placed in 2018. She credits her achievements to the foundation provided by RDF.
Here’s her story, in her own words –
“I studied in RDF uptil Class 12. Academically, I was an average student. In Class 8, I became interested in Archery, watching the students practicing day and night. I joined the team and did my best, under the guidance of my Archery coach.
In Class 11, I got selected to the Steel Authority of India Limited Academy (SAIL) in Jharkhand, India’s leading sports academy.Continuing my training, I have received several National level medals. In 2013, I got 3rd rank at the Junior Nationals. The same year, I also participated in the Youth World Championship in Wuxi, China. I have also participated in the World Cup in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
I got the opportunity to join BSF because of my sports career which happened due to RDF. Because of my school, I am in a good position in life and I’m grateful for that.”
Stories like Lavanya’s show rural families and the younger generation that girls can achieve anything they set their eyes on. Determination and making the best use of opportunities can help anyone reach their goals. We are so proud that our girls exemplify resilience, determination, a ‘can do’ spirit; charting a path for other rural girls to follow.
Kumari Kongari.Rachana, a Matendla School alumnus, is right on track in achieving her educational and career goals. Filled with determination right from school days, she recently got a free seat in Gurunanak Institutional Technical Campus, one of the top 20 engineering colleges. She opted for the IT stream according to her goal. An RDF wellwisher supported her financially in reaching her goal.
At school, she was also renowned for her enthusiasm for sports, participating in Fencing from Class 6 onwards. She participated in many District and State level competitions, including 3 Nationals. We wish Rachna the very best to achieve all her goals and dreams!
Chandual’s accomplishments, covered in print media
RDF supports students in numerous ways, by encouraging their talents and skills in different fields. ‘Beyond Textbook Education’ has been our motto for the same reason and we’ve seen many students blossom in areas outside of academic accomplishment.
Chandulal, coaching RDF students
Guguloth Chandulal is a Kalleda School alumnus who was part of the school from Nursery to Class 10. His parents difficult economic circumstances did not deter him, instead making him determined to do well in life. He took up Archery in Class 6, winning medals at District and State Level competitions. Due to his success, he got admission in Tata Archery Academy where he trained for 4 years, winning several medals in National level tournaments.
Being felicitated for achieving 1st rank in Kolkata
Upon completion of the course, he returned to RDF as our Archery Coach, filled with a desire to give back and support underprivileged children, as he had been. Under his coaching, many students won at State and National level contests, 1 student was selected to the Tata Archery Academy and 5 got admission in Sports Authority of India in Hyderabad. His list of accomplishments extended to being Telangana Chief Coach in National level competitions, organising District and State level tournaments, plus adding to his sports education by studying at the National Institute of Sports, where he won 1st rank.
His life is a role model for generations of RDF students, to focus on their dreams and take opportunities to explore the world. He has been able to demonstrate to rural families that interests can be honed in order to excel in many areas. He inspires many RDF students to take up sports, which also contributes to their mental and physical wellbeing.
Gugulothu Anitha studying in Intermediate 1st Year in the RDF VAPV Junior College is an inspiration to everyone. She belongs to a poor Scheduled Tribes family, the youngest of 3 daughters. Her father was hoping for a boy when she was born and decided to bring her up like a boy. So while traditiona; families such as hers, girls look after household chores and boys help in the field, Anitha has been helping her father in farm work since she was young.
Anitha (5th from L), after winning a tug-of-war championship
However, Anitha is working hard at changing her father’s mindset to show him that girls and boys can do the same work. In Class 10, she started to show an active interest in Tug-of-War and sports such as netball, cricket, mini gold and Wushu. She diligently practiced before and after school, winning 3 medals in National level competitions. The Physical Education Teacher encouraged her interest, which further inspired her.
At a track & field sports meet
She wants to become a National coach and prove that girls are not inferior to boys in any field. It is heartwarming to see her speaking to her father and showing him, through her accomplishments, to banish his belief that he would have been better off with a son rather than a daughter! We are proud of this empowered and self expressed 16 year old, who has become a role model for many rural girls.
It brings us a lot of happiness when we see rural parents supporting the education of their children and especially if the child is a girl!
Ravali, an alumnus of Matendla School, comes from a family of humble farmers, who strongly supported her education goals. She was always passionate about Sports and started playing football in Class 6. With the help of the Physical Education Teacher, she did well in her chosen sport in school. Now in 2nd Year Intermediate (equivalent of Class 12), she has participated in several State and National level Football competitions, winning 1 Gold and 2 Silver medals at the National level.
Ravali continues to show remarkable progress and is now the captain of a football team. At a recent State level tournament, she was also selected as the ‘Best Player’. Her role model is the international football star, Neymar, and it is her dream to represent Indian Women’s football. We pray that her perseverance and hard work help her to make this dream come true for her.
Kinnear Kamlesh completed Intermediate (Class 12 equivalent) from the RDF VAPV Junior College this year, with a first division! His parents have moved to Maharashtra as labourers in a project. Inspired and motivated with the encouragement he received in the Junior College, he decided to give back to society by volunteering as an Assistant Physical Trainer. Since he’s pursuing his Bachelor’s degree through distance education and only needs to attend college on Sundays, he felt helping in the Junior College would be a productive use of his time.
Basketball practice with students
He says, “I feel so happy to give service where I studied. I have learnt discipline, honesty and punctuality from my lecturers here and I want to help other students like me by being a role model for them. Every day, I am learning new things from PET sir (Physical Education Trainer) and assisting him to teach the students. I am good at Kabaddi and would like to train and send students to participate in Nationals and get medals.”
We feel proud that Kamlesh feels empowered to make selfless choices such as this. With his great attitude and dedication to service, we are sure he will continue to be an asset to the Junior College team!
Matendla School team is very proud to share that 50 students from the school participated in a Mandal level sports competition organised by School Games Federation of India. Senior girls won Gold medals in Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and volleyball. The Junior Girls team and Junior Boys team won Silver medals in the same categories.
Trophies won by the students, proudly taking centre stage!
It’s a pleasure for us to see an increasing number of students choose sports, put in the hard work and focus required for competitions and do well in them. Their ability to balance their academic work with serious sports pursuit is admirable and shows their levels of determination to achieve their goals.
We wholeheartedly encourage students to take up sports, in addition to it being a part of our holistic curriculum, because it truly builds mental acuity and physical endurance and stamina. Working in regions where children face malnourishment and are susceptible to seasonal diseases, we care very much for our student’s wellbeing through making them stronger in body and mind with sports coaching and nutritious meals. This focus and their performance also provides opportunities for sports scholarships and Government jobs – a boon for families to find respite from living in poverty.
Big thanks to the Matendla team for supporting their students every step of the way. We look forward to their performance at the District level competitions and beyond.
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