14th Dec, 2019 Bhubaneswar: IIT Bhubaneswar is co-hosting the 54th Inter-IIT sports meet along with IIT Kharagpur. This is for the first time in the history that a 2nd generation IIT is co-hosting the inter IIT sports meet. IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bhubaneswar are hosting 8 and 4 events respectively and student contingents from all the 23 IIT’s are participating. IIT Bhubaneswar is organizing competitions in Volleyball, Badminton, Table Tennis and Squash.
Today the preliminary matches of the events which are the first ever to be conducted at IIT Bhubaneswar have been started in parts of its Greenfield sports complex being built. About 770 students have already arrived in the campus to participate from 23 IITs in the 54th Inter IIT Sports meet. The Sports Meet will be formally inaugurated on 15th December 2019 at IIT Bhubaneswar by Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Hon’ble Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of India at 3pm. Ms. Dutee Chand, Indian professional sprinter is the Guest of Honour.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof R V Raja Kumar, Director of IIT Bhubaneswar said, “I am happy to share with you that we are holding this event in high standards with enhanced vigour and enthusiasm, from Dec 14th -22nd, 2019. It is a historic moment for IIT Bhubaneswar, several faculty members, staff and students of the institute are giving their best in organizing the event and the campsites are thrilled and enjoying the sports with enthusiasm and true sportsmanship. Such a grand meet helps in creating a positive and competitive environment within a campus throughout the year among the students. Finally I wish the events at IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bhubaneswar, a grand success”. I hope that this Sports Meet will bring the students, faculty members and staff of all IITs together for upholding the sportsman spirit and help in betterment of the society”.
The Director also said that IIT Bhubaneswar is creating a green field sports complex, which is unique in several ways and comprises of a Student Activity Center that accommodates a Yoga Center, indoor Badminton and other courts, a modern play courts, athletics track, cricket field, hockey field and other facilities. The Director said that the facilities are architected with a lot of personal attention from himself and that he has a lot of emotional attachment to it.