Sports Meet / NIT Rourkela hosts All India Inter-NIT Sports Meet; 1,198 athletes showcase talent

Rourkela, Nov 2: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela hosted the All India Inter-NIT Sports Meet 2026-27 from October 30 to November 1, bringing together 1,198 student-athletes from 30 National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and IIEST Shibpur for a three-day sporting extravaganza, officials said on Monday.

The tournament featured competitions in five categories: Men's and Women's Volleyball, Men's and Women's Handball, and Men's Hockey. Matches were conducted at the P.T. Usha Stadium, the Indoor Stadium at NIT Rourkela, and the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium.

Champions Emerge

In the Women's Handball category, VNIT Nagpur clinched the championship title, while NIT Warangal and NIT Calicut secured second and third positions respectively. Bhagya Santoshi of VNIT Nagpur received the Best Player award.

In Men's Handball, NIT Calicut emerged champions, with NIT Warangal and SVNIT Surat finishing as first and second runners-up. Pavan Kalyan of NIT Calicut was adjudged Best Player.

The Women's Volleyball title went to NIT Kurukshetra, followed by NIT Calicut and NIT Jamshedpur. Palak Chaudhary of NIT Kurukshetra received the Best Player award.

In Men's Volleyball, NIT Jamshedpur claimed the championship, while NIT Tiruchirappalli and SVNIT Surat finished second and third. Himanshu Teotia of NIT Jamshedpur was named Best Player.

Hockey Highlights

The Men's Hockey championship was won by NIT Calicut, with host institution NIT Rourkela finishing as first runners-up and NIT Tiruchirappalli securing third place. Aman of NIT Rourkela received the Best Player award.

Valedictory Ceremony

The valedictory ceremony was attended by Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao, Director, NIT Rourkela, along with senior academic and sports officials. The event was organised by the Games and Sports Society, Student Activity Centre (SAC) under the coordination of Prof. Mohd. Khalid Gul and Prof. Aditya Das.
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NIT Rourkela acknowledged the support of the All India Inter-NIT Sports Board, the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, referees, coaches, volunteers and support staff. The successful hosting of the national-level event underscored the institute's commitment to promoting sportsmanship and healthy competition among technical institutions across the country.