The 12th All India Inter-School ‘Asian Challenge’ Basketball Tournament 2026 concluded on Saturday, 9th May 2026, with a grand Closing Ceremony held at The Asian School, Dehradun. The prestigious tournament brought together talented young basketball players from renowned institutions across the country and celebrated the spirit of sportsmanship, discipline, and teamwork.
The Closing Ceremony commenced with the arrival of the Chief Guest, Mr. Anant Vijay Dutt Thapliyal, Director-Principal, The Asian School, Dehradun, who was warmly welcomed by the school fraternity. The occasion was further graced by the presence of the Guest of Honour, Mr. Anoop Mukkanniyil, former Indian national basketball player, whose inspiring presence motivated the budding athletes.
The programme was also marked by the esteemed presence of Mr. Mandeep Grewal, Secretary, Uttarakhand Basketball Association. The semi-final matches intensified the excitement of the tournament as The Asian School (TAS-A), Dehradun secured a convincing victory against New Public School, Chandigarh, with a score of 73–56 in the first semi-final, while The Doon School, Dehradun emerged victorious against Wynberg Allen School, Mussoorie, with a score of 58–47 in the second semi-final.
The much-anticipated final match witnessed an electrifying contest between The Asian School (TAS- A), Dehradun and The Doon School, Dehradun. The Doon School clinched the championship title with a thrilling score of 78–75 after a spectacular display of skill, teamwork, and determination. The individual honours of the tournament included the award for the Most Promising Player, presented to Tsewang Gyatso of The Asian School, and the Most Valuable Player award, conferred upon Abhay Verma of The Doon School for his outstanding performance throughout the championship.
The Closing Ceremony was further dignified by the gracious presence of prominent members of The Asian School fraternity, including Mr. Sachin Agarwal, Head of Middle School; Ms. Anu Mehrotra, Headmistress; Mr. Sanjay Rana, Head of Department (Sports); and Mr. Sandesh Sharma, Bursar, along with coaches from participating schools, officiating referees, staff members, and students of The Asian School. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Anant Vijay Dutt Thapliyal, Director-Principal, The Asian School, Dehradun, congratulated the winning teams and appreciated all participating schools for displaying exemplary sportsmanship, discipline, and team spirit throughout the tournament.
He also commended the efforts of the organisers, coaches, referees, and support staff for the successful conduct of the championship and encouraged the young athletes to continue striving for excellence both on and off the court. The Vote of Thanks was eloquently delivered by the Sports Captain, Adharav Raj Gupta, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to the dignitaries, participants, coaches, referees, organisers, and support staff for their invaluable contribution in making the 12th All India Inter-School ‘Asian Challenge’ Basketball Tournament 2026 a grand celebration of sportsmanship, discipline, and teamwork.
