Inter IIT Sports Meet begins at IIT Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: The 58th Inter IIT Sports Meet 2025, India’s largest intercollegiate sporting event, began at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) with a formal opening ceremony at the athletics ground, bringing together athletes from all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology.
Over 2,500 athletes compete across disciplines
Hosted by IITH, the meet will see more than 2,500 student-athletes competing across multiple sports from December 14 to 21. The 30th Inter-IIT Staff Sports Meet will follow from December 24 to 29, with nearly 2,000 staff members taking part.
The event was inaugurated on Sunday evening by Chief National Coach of the Indian badminton team Pullela Gopichand and Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal.
Sport builds discipline beyond competition: Saina
Addressing the gathering, Saina Nehwal said she was pleased to see the strong sporting culture on the IITH campus.
“Sport is not just about competitions that last a week; it is about the habits we build every day. Working out daily and staying active help build discipline, resilience and focus, which are equally important in academics and research,” she said.
Sports must be integral to campus life: Gopichand
Gopichand said sports add significant value to student life by shaping character, discipline and confidence. He stressed the need to integrate sports into everyday campus life.
“When sports become a way of life on campus, they enrich education and help create well-rounded individuals,” he said.
The meet features competitions in athletics, cricket, football, hockey, volleyball, badminton, basketball, tennis, table tennis, squash and other disciplines. Cricket and football matches began ahead of the opening ceremony, with several fixtures already attracting large crowds.
Chairman of the Board of Governors of IITH BVR Mohan Reddy, Director IITH Prof BS Murty, faculty members and students were present.
