Badminton icons Pullela Gopichand and Saina Nehwal, along with IIT Hyderabad director B.S. Murty at the 58th Inter IIT sports meet at IIT Hyderabad campus at Kandi in Sangareddy district on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: MOHD. ARIF
The 58th edition of the inter-IIT sports meet kicked off at IIT-Hyderabad at Kandi, Sangareddy, on Sunday. The weeklong event is witnessing the participation of about 2,500 students from the 23 IITs in various sporting disciplines.
Following it up will be the inter-IIT sports meet for the staff, scheduled to take place from December 24 to 29, with over 2,000 participants in various categories.
Olympian and badminton star Saina Nehwal, inaugurating the sports meet, said the country’s pride can be built not only through world-class research and innovation but also through fitness, a passion for sports and healthy lifestyles. “Sport is not just about competitions that last a week; it is about the habits we form every day. Regular workout and staying active instil discipline, resilience and focus — qualities that are as important as academics and research,” she said.
Also present at the ceremony, India’s chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand advocated for making sports an integral part of campus life. “I strongly believe that sports add immense value to a student’s life by building character, discipline and confidence. When sports become a way of life on campus, they enrich education and help shape well-rounded individuals,” he said.
Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT-Hyderabad, B.V.R. Mohan Reddy and director B.S. Murty were present.
Published – December 14, 2025 07:52 pm IST
