Cricket – The KGP Chronicle

“All glories come from the daring to just begin” – SHAURYA ’23 at IIT Kharagpur

A Glimpse from the Table Tennis Tournament in Full Swing

One of the biggest sports tournament of the country ‘Shaurya ’23, themed ‘Shadow Warrior,’ recently concluded at IIT Kharagpur, leaving behind a trail of excitement, innovation, and intense competition. The festival which was entirely managed by students; held within the iconic IIT Kharagpur campus, has undoubtedly set a new standard for excellence. This edition of Shaurya went above and beyond, featuring a diverse range of competitions catering to both male and female participants.

The events showcased a wide array of sports, including cricket, volleyball, basketball, hockey, athletics, badminton, football, lawn tennis, table tennis, chess, and powerlifting. Prior to the main festivities, Shaurya also hosted engaging pre-event activities like the Shaurya Cube Open, National Sports Quiz, Knuckle Pushups Challenge, Skipathon, Dutch Grand Prix Live Stream, Asia Cup India Vs Pak Live Stream, and the Shaurya Yoga Quest Challenge.

A Glimpse from the Hockey Tournament

IIT Kharagpur’s exceptional infrastructure and sports facilities, including their state-of-the-art Student Activity Centre with its multiple courts and fields, provided an ideal setting for the diverse competitions. The festival, boasting over 15 titular sports events, transcended beyond the realm of sports, incorporating guest lectures, recreational activities, and non-sporting events such as marathons and F1 simulations. The event aspired to be the pinnacle of sports for both our present and future generations.

In a dazzling display of sportsmanship and talent, the Shaurya Sports Fest 2023 at IIT Kharagpur concluded with thrilling victories and unforgettable moments. The campus was alive with the spirit of competition as participants from various institutes showcased their prowess in a variety of sports. Let’s delve into the highlights of some of the most riveting events that left a lasting impression on spectators.

A Glimpse from the Basketball Tournament

Shaurya Table Tennis Tournament Finals: A Battle to Remember

The finals of the Shaurya Table Tennis Tournament set the stage for a captivating showdown between IIT Kharagpur’s A team and that of St. Xavier’s. The match was a rollercoaster of high-stakes rallies and intense action, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. The game remained neck-and-neck until the last set. But in the end, it was St. Xavier’s that emerged victorious, claiming the title in a dramatic fashion that will be etched in the memories of all who witnessed it.

Shaurya Powerlifting Championship: Vivek Singh Nainwal Dominates

The 2023 Shaurya Powerlifting Championship concluded with a display of unparalleled strength and determination. Participants showcased exceptional performances, but it was Vivek Singh Nainwal from IIT Kharagpur who stole the spotlight. His remarkable feats in the competition earned him the title of the ‘Best Lifter’, leaving a powerful mark on the championship and inspiring all present.

A Glimpse from the Spring Tournament

Lawn Tennis Excellence: Mayank Joshi Crowned ‘Best Player’

In the realm of Lawn Tennis, Mayank Joshi from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur emerged as the shining star. His exceptional skill, consistency, and unwavering determination throughout the tournament culminated in a well-deserved victory, earning him the prestigious title of the ‘Best Player’. Mayank’s performance showcased the true essence of sportsmanship and dedication.

Chess Tournament: A Battle of Minds in the Yoga Room

The Chess Tournament, hosted in the Yoga Room within the Technology Students’ Gymkhana, proved to be a cerebral spectacle. It was a platform that highlighted the competitive spirit and strategic prowess of the participating teams. The event underscored the importance of fostering intellectual pursuits and healthy competition within the academic community.

Shaurya Volleyball Tournament: A Celebration of Sportsmanship and Skill

The 2023 Shaurya Volleyball Tournament was a testament to the spirit of sportsmanship, featuring remarkable performances and unforgettable moments that will be cherished for years to come. The tournament recognised and honoured the ‘Best Players’ in the form of Shadik from Sarala Birla University and Mythri T G from IIT Kharagpur, acknowledging their outstanding contributions to the competition. Congratulations to all participants, winners, and teams for their dedication and commitment.

Shaurya Cricket Tournament: Soumya Basak Shines as the Player of the Tournament

The 2023 Shaurya Cricket Tournament echoed with the sounds of cricketing brilliance and camaraderie, honouring Soumya Basak from St. Xavier’s as the ‘Player of the Tournament’. Soumya’s exceptional performances left an indelible mark on the tournament, showcasing not only individual skill but also a true passion for the game. Congratulations to all participants, winners, and teams for their dedication and spirited play.

A Glimpse of the Marathon Event

Shaurya Football Tournament: Nitin Rohit Emerges as the Player of the Tournament

The 2023 Shaurya Football Tournament unfolded as a saga of skill, teamwork, and pure passion for the beautiful game. The tournament honoured Nitin Rohit from IIT Kharagpur A as the ‘Player of the Tournament’, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the team’s success. Congratulations to all participants, winners, and teams for their dedication and outstanding performances on the football field.

In conclusion, the Shaurya Sports Fest 2023 at IIT Kharagpur was a resounding success, celebrating not just physical prowess but also the intellectual and strategic acumen of its participants. As the campus echoed with the cheers and memories of this spectacular event, it’s clear that Shaurya has once again proven to be a stage for champions to shine – a sporting extravaganza to remember!

Media Partner : Telegraph

Inputs by : Prajay and Ushasri Gunpuru, Students, IIT Kharagpur

Edited By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007

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For news visit: https://kgpchronicle.iitkgp.ac.in/

54th Inter IIT Sports Meet Flags Off at IIT Kharagpur

IIT Kharagpur, 15^th December: IIT Kharagpur flagged off its 54^th Inter IIT Sports Meet on 14^th December 2019. The nine-day event is co-hosted by IIT Bhubaneswar with more than 2600 students participating from 23 IITs.

The mega event held at IIT KGP is witnessing tough competition across eight games – Athletics, Basketball, Chess, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Lawn Tennis and Weightlifting while IIT Bhubaneswar is hosting four events – Volleyball, Badminton, Table Tennis and Squash. Tyra, the Royal Bengal Tigress is the mascot for the 54^th Inter IIT Sports Meet 2019.

Prof Sriman Kumar Bhattacharya, Director, IIT Kharagpur and Chief Patron of the 54^th Inter IIT Sports Meet remarked on Brand IIT’s achievement in both academics and all-round ability of the students in diverse aspects and areas that sets IITs apart from other institutes. Students are the brand ambassadors and the onus is on them to keep their brand name high, he said.

12 distinguished sportspersons from KGP campus, took to lighting the torch for the ceremony. Former Skipper of Indian Women’s Cricket Team, Jhulan Goswami sent across her best wishes to the participants via voice message, saying, “I would like to congratulate all the participants who have come here today, and are going to perform. I extend my best wishes to you all, and once again, from the bottom of my heart. I shall come next time and spend some quality time with you people.” The event will be graced by sports stars like former cricket captains Kapil Dev and Sourav Ganguly, swimming champion Bula Choudhary and para swimmer Prasanta Karmakar among others.

Inter IIT Sports Meet started in 1961 with IIT Bombay as the first host. With the increasing number of participants, the number of disciplines in the games have also increased over the years. This year, chess has been added as a competitive event. Squash for girls has also been added as a demo event.

IIT Kharagpur has completely renovated its Sports Facilities. A new synthetic track has been built at the Jnan Ghosh Stadium. New floodlights have been also installed both at the Stadium and the Tata Steel Sports Complex. The tennis and basketball courts have been given an all-new look.

The competition has started taking shape right from day one with the march past following the flag hoisting ceremony. IIT-ISM Dhanbad secured first place in the event. Prof Rajeev Shekhar, Director, IIT-ISM Dhanbad, hoped the participants would compete with the never-dying fighting spirit.

The opening ceremony was celebrated by several professional performances including rhythmic yoga performance by Majida Khatun, second runners-up for Rhythmic Yoga at the Under-17 category for 2019 National School Games, football juggling by Amit Biswas, a young football juggler, with speech and hearing impairment and a medley of folk songs and dances across all states of India, ending with the anthem of Atletico-De-Kolkata.

Pictures – Click KGP, Inter IIT Sports Meet Facebook Page

Dadagiri with Sourav Ganguly

Zee Bangla Dadagiri, a unique quiz show hosted by former Indian Skipper Sourav Ganguly kicked off in 2009. Since then, the show has completed 7successful seasons and today, 10 years later, it steps into its 8^thseason. There is something very special the opening episode of Season 8 of Dadagiri. Piyush Kedia, a 4^th year UG student at the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science at IIT Kharagpur and an Uttarpara resident, representing Hooghly district, participated in the episode. He won with 109 points. He battled it out against 5 participants from different walks of life and districts of West Bengal.

IIT Kharagpur has more than one reason to celebrate.

As Piyush walks into the office of the Alumni Affairs and International Relations, rain-soaked and clueless about who to talk to, I extend my hand, congratulating him on striking a century and winning the maiden episode of Zee Bangla Dadagiri Season 8.

I lead him away from a chilly office, lest he shivers to the bone, to a comparatively warmer enclosure and we begin a freewheeling chat.

“How was your experience like?” I asked him. Gushing, he replied, “It was great. I got to meet one of my favourite cricketers – one I had adored since childhood. It felt great to represent the college at such a prestigious stage. Representing a district and its people was also a huge matter of pride. To have so many people backing me up for this was wonderful.

Since it was a dream-come-true moment, the days passed in a blink and I was starstruck the whole time. However, here I would like to point out something. There are a lot of speculations people have regarding these kinds of shows being fixed and much malfunctioning occurring behind all the glitz and glamour. I, however couldn’t find any of those and that made me very glad. I wish to make my district and parents proud if I get the chance to attend the grand finale of this show.”

His parents and younger brother accompanied him to the show.

For Piyush who had been actively following the show since its inception in 2009 as part of his routine, even at times till late nights, the path to the Rajarhat set was not an easy one. As a 15/16 year old, he had queued up for auditions for a good 3 / 4 hours at the nearest audition venue every year, only to be disappointed each time. So, for him, it was surreal when the Zee Bangla Team called him for the Season 8 auditions and to finally step up on the sets, was the culmination of his patience and a far-fetched dream.

His appearance conveyed that he knew what I was to ask him next. He was perhaps eagerly waiting for this question. So, when I finally asked him, “How was it meeting Sourav Ganguly?”, words seemed to fall short for him. “I was starstruck and overwhelmed. I had lined up to meet him for his autograph during a football tournament when young but could not get up close to him back then, so this was one huge opportunity. It felt wonderful talking to him and getting a pat on the back. I cheekily asked him if he would agree to be Team India’s coach, which he gracefully avoided answering.” replied the super-excited Metallurgy student.

There was a time in the game where this boy scored the lowest and had chances of being eliminated. “What was going on in your mind at that time?’, I asked him. He thought a little and said that being a quizzer himself, he knew that the last two rounds were oriented towards quizzers and could reap high benefits. “My target was to somehow survive till the last two rounds and I was confident I could take away the game from there,” he said. His dream to hit a century came up with the last question.

As a regular 21/22 year old, unfazed by finances, Piyush is no exception. He plans to hand over the entire prize money to his mother, leaving her to decide on its fate. The trophy, however, is one thing he would love to keep for himself. He intends to stay actively connected to quizzing throughout his professional career, but presently, he would like to concentrate on his research project.

There were a few pointers Piyush picked up from the show. The most difficult part of the game, he points out, was to maintain calmness throughout, adding, that participants are required to be steady yet fast and need to think analytically.

His concerns showed up as our conversation took a turn towards the contemporary scenario of quizzing. Piyush promptly pointed out that moving towards content creation in quizzing was a normal phenomenon, which is somewhat derivative of the original sport. However, with very few good quizmasters around, taking up quizzing was a feasible career option for him, but not a lucrative one though. “If it is sustainable, then I think I might take it up professionally. It is a matter of love for me,” he said.

“How popular have you become in college, hostel and otherwise?”, I asked him. The perplexed expression on his face told me that the excitement and adulation from all was still about to sink in. “It feels really good to be popular and have well-wishers in the district. Not much of fan following that way, but the professors at college now know me”, adding, “my hallmates at RP Hall are very excited. I’m getting a lot of requests on Facebook right now, but haven’t really acted upon that. It feels good when people recognize you for what you have done,” he replied, brimming with joy and excitement at achieving a score – half of which most participants fail to reach.