U14- Kalinga Rugby Team from Orissa, India will be touring Australia soon!!

The Kalinga Rugby Team, originating from the State of Orissa, are the winners of the U14 – Rugby World Cup 2007, held in Sept. 2007 in the UK.

We are very fortunate in having the team tour Australia in Aug. 2008. The team is scheduled to play Rugby matches in Darwin, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, with each of the respective State and Territory Rugby Unions. The team will be visiting these cities from 11^th to 24^th Aug.’08. Export Import Bank of India is sponsoring the team’s tour to Australia.

The dream of one man to provide community service in the areas of education and sporting activities has taken the world by surprise. Dr A Samanta, Founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) had a dream of helping tribal children in Orissa with free education, boarding and lodging at KISS campus. In 1993, he started the Institute with about 100 students. The institute now has strength of more than 9,000 children under the one roof and is providing education from Kindergarten to Post Graduation for both girls and boys. Visit website: www.kissorissa.org for more details.

Dr. Samanta wanted to put this Rugby team on a global platform and so entered the team in International School Rugby Championship held in UK. The team won this championship, against all odds, playing against South Africa in the finals. The team had already won many awards in India before heading to UK.

During my recent visit to Orissa early this year, I had an opportunity to meet with Dr Samantha and the Rugby team. Dr Samantha is keen to have an interaction with Australian rugby teams and indigenous groups. Hence the reason for the team’s upcoming tour to Australia in Aug.’08. The Team will also be playing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rugby Union in Sydney.

For Fixtures for the Rugby tour to Darwin, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, please visit www.qisgroup.com.au/kiss or http://kalingarugbytour.blogspot.com .

The Team’s Australia tour is supported by Export Import Bank of India. Please attend the matches and support your team and the youngsters.

I am privileged to be associated with the KISS organisation, and be able to assist them voluntarily in coordinating their Rugby activities in Australia.

For any other details, please contact Vijay Susarla: vsusarla@qisgroup.com.au / susarla2008@hotmail.com or mobile 0408 147 845.

Vijay Susarla.