sports – 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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And the winner of the 54th Inter IIT Sports Meet is….

“Yesterday is not ours to recover but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose.”

Lyndon B. Johnson; 36^th president of the United States of America.

The 54th Inter IIT Sports Meet 2019 concluded on December 22 evening after 8 days of tireless efforts by more than 2000 participants from 23 IITs across the country. The closing ceremony witnessed some spectacular winning moments in the presence of Prof. William Kumar Mohanty, Convener, 54^th Inter IIT Sports Meet, Chief Guest Shri Ashok Kumar Dhyan Chand, son of Indian Hockey legend late Dhyan Chand, Prof. P. K. Das, Acting Director and Dean, Post Graduate Studies, and Prof. Somesh Kumar, Chairman, 54^th Inter IIT Sports Meet.

The last nine days were filled with boundless passion, emotion and drama surrounding the victories and failures of the contesting teams. As the competition drew to a close, the final few days saw a renewed burst of emotions with the knockout matches. Over a little more than a week, a lot many records were broken and new ones were created across the two IIT campuses – Kharagpur and Bhubaneswar, which hosted the meet – as athletes gave in their best in their quest for glory.

On the last day of the meet, Prof. Mohanty addressed the gathering and welcomed Shri Ashok Kumar Dhyan Chand, Indian Hockey legend. Prof Mohanty congratulated all the participants for their terrific performance. He specially thanked the IIT Kharagpur medical team who were on their toes, catering to the needs of the players, many of whom were injured during the games. He encouraged all players to excel in their respective games, understand their shortcomings and work on them, while at the same time giving their best to academics.

Impressed by the enthusiasm of the players, Ashok Kumar Dhyan Chand said, “I’m amazed to see students who are jewels in their respective academic domains, to have such passion for sports.” He added, “Sports is not about winning or losing. It is all about participation. During my father’s time, there was no such opportunity for players. Yet, they went out, played their game on foreign grounds and won several accolades”.

Addressing all participants, he said, “I congratulate all of you and hope you will achieve everything in life from these wins and losses. Let these shining medals and trophies give you all the strength to face life’s challenges, just as you dealt with them on field.”

IIT Kharagpur showed off brilliant performances by winning Gold in Athletics (Men), Chess, Basketball (Women), Football (Men), Waterpolo (Men). The Institute secured the second position in overall Aquatics, Athletics (Women), Table Tennis (Men), Volleyball (Men), Swimming (Women), Weightlifting and Tennis (Women). The Bronze came in for March Past, Hockey (Men) and Swimming (Men).

In the final standings, IIT Delhi came second with 92 points and IIT Madras finished third, with 87.1 points. IIT Kharagpur scored 122 points. All events, on and off the field, in the host and co-host campuses of Kharagpur and Bhubaneswar respectively, were taken into account.

Former Indian Cricket Team Skipper and the current BCCI President, Sourav Ganguly, could not make it to the occasion due to prior commitments. He sent across his best wishes to all the participants via voice message. He promised to come next year.

Indian cricketing legend, Mr Kapil Dev also took to an audio message to congratulate the participants. “Play the game with all honesty, and you are sure to win”, he said.

Each moment in sports and each decision contributes to one’s victory. At the end, it is consistency that matters. Every match is a learning curve, and those who learn right emerge the winner.

IIT Kharagpur contingent lifted the Champion’s trophy amongst a roar of claps, cheers and whistles and made for the victory lap to the tunes of DJ Bravo’s famous ‘Champion’ song.

Photo credit: Inter IIt Sports Meet Facebook Page, Click KGP

I Came. I Saw. I Played.

“When I came here in July this year, I found a few students playing football at the Tata Steel Sports Complex. That intrigued me. I also wanted to play, since I come from a country where football is widely played. We won the FIFA World Cup last year, you see! I didn’t know who to approach or how to go about it. I have a friend who also works in the same Mechanical Engineering lab as mine. He was playing in the IIT Kharagpur football team. I told him of my desire to play for IIT Kharagpur. He told me to come to play with them. Since then we have been playing in BC Roy.

We started practicing for the Inter IIT from August this year. Initially, I could not go for the practice because I had a lot of work, and then I was not here for quite some time. I returned in October and it is from then that the rigorous training sessions started. It was from that practice session that 25/26 players got selected for the team. We had several meetings, practice camps and I had to extract time out of my lab sessions to attend all of those. Inter IIT Sports Meet is a big thing. Intense training started in the beginning of December, and there been no rest since. We had to come for practices every single day and spend hours on the field.

Just a few days before Inter IIT, 15 players were selected to play the matches and the rest were for the reserve bench. I feel extremely privileged to be a part of the playing team. So far the matches have been good. We had a brilliant run against Ropar in our last match. And I hope we will continue to have a good run.

I play as a midfielder and as you know, this game calls for a lot of running for the entire 90 minute duration of the match. A few of our teammates have been injured, but that is part of the game. That, however, has not been able to put our spirits down. We are planning to smash the opponents with renewed vigour. I think it will be a great match against Delhi this evening. See you then, at 5 pm, today at Tata Sports!”

Olivier is working on ‘Biogeochemical Characterization of Water’ under the supervision of Prof Aditya Bandyopadhyay in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur

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

Water, Water Everywhere!

The water babies of IIT Kharagpur dived in and swam out with medals, leaving Dhanbad and Roorkee behind them. With tough competition from their Madras and Bombay counterparts, the swimmers gave their best performance, proving their nerves of steel, during tense moments.

The inclusion of sports has always been considered to be one of the pillars in the all-round development in the Indian Academic system. The IITs, where the academic acceptance rate is less than 1%, and where students are evaluated on the basis of their studies, the sporting culture has always taken a backseat. However, a little over three decades back, the importance of sports has been recognized by these Institutes and today, IIT Kharagpur hosts its 35^th edition of the Inter IIT Aquatics Meet in the campus with 12 IITs across India participating in what is considered to be one of the prime highlights of the IIT circuit.

The event flagged off on 29^th September with a grand opening ceremony with the arrival of the Chief Guest, Paralympian Swimmer, Mr Prasanta Karmakar. With several feathers in this cap – the Arjuna Award and Major Dhyan Chand Sports Award, along with three awards for Swimmer of the Year. Felicitation of Mr Karmakar was followed by welcome speeches by Professors and the Dean of Student Affairs.

It was a challenging day for the KGPians in the individual events, as they faced tough competition from Madras and Bombay respectively. However, the players brought home the Gold and Silver for 100 mt Backstroke for Men.

However, all their pent-up pain were released at the water-polo match in the event segment. KGP scored a good 12 goals over 3 goals by IIT Madras.

The second day was comparatively easier. IIT Kharagpur clinched Silver in 50 mt Butterfly for Women, Bronze in 200 mt Individual Medley for Men, and a Gold in 50 mt Backstroke for Men. At the same time, they won the water-polo match by 18 goals against a Duck by Team Dhanbad.

The water-polo team of IIT Kharagpur has proven time and again that they are unmatchable when it comes to the game. The third day stood witness to the statement. With two out of five medals in the swimming events, this time too, IIT KGP water polo team took full advantage of the game, beating Bombay by 9 goals.

Day four, 2^nd October, turned out to be pretty tough for the KGPians. With just one medal in the 50 mt Breast Stroke for Men, the tension for holding on to one of the top three positions, was mounting. The players however, brought out their fury in the water-polo event scoring 13. IIT Roorkee was beaten by 10 goals.

The current overall standings, as on 3^rd October 2019, shows IIT Kharagpur in the second position with 20 points, lead by IIT Madras with 24 points, followed by IIt Kanpur and IIT Roorkee with 10 and 8 points respectively. IIT Kharagpur won bronze in the Men’s swimming category, while in the Women’s swimming events, the Institute stood second.

It was truly a ‘golden’ moment for the KGPians who sealed the first position in water-polo, followed by IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras and IIT Roorkee

The men – women student ratio in the IITs could be pretty skewed, but with sports, they stand shoulder to shoulder, proving zero gender bias in extracurricular activities. The scoreboard of this 35^th Inter IIT Aquatics Meet stands witness to this.

PadmaShree Awardee, and Champion Swimmer, Ms Bula Choudhury graced the event at its closing ceremony today, 3^rd October 2019. IIT Kharagpur is immensely proud and grateful to have her over. The Institute hopes, someday one of its children, apart from making a mark in the field of academics, industry and entrepreneurship, would also bear the Tricolour on the global platform in sports.

The Summit it is!

IIT Kharagpur alumnus Romil Barthwal has achieved the highest frontier of mountaineering – Mount Everest. He scaled the Himalayan heights along with his 14-member team this Summer.

Trekker and impact maker he is an endurance runner by passion and has done many half, full and ultra-marathons and several other adventure sports including podium finisher in an ironman event, randonneuring, white water rafting, bungee jumping, duathlons, kayaking, paramotor, parasailing, paragliding and paratrooping. Leaving no stone unturned, he has done the advanced, rescue and special mountain courses. He has done 9 mountaineering expeditions as team leader culminating with summiting the mighty Mt Everest.

Romil completed his M.Tech. from IIT Kharagpur in 2012 from the School of Information Technology which is now a part of the Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering. An exhilarated Romil shared his experiences ranging from his days at IIT KGP days to Boston Marathon to Ultramarathon and now Mt Everest. He aims to inspire the current generation of youth to pursue a lifestyle which will help build endurance and resilience towards real-life situations.

“Even though I am an IITian from Kharagpur, I feel the balance is important to stay happy in life. Academics and books alone are not enough,” he said.

“It feels very gratifying. While getting an opportunity to scale Everest is itself great, it gives a different perspective on life,” he added.

As an ultra-endurance sports enthusiast Romil emphasized the significance of planning and practice which he considers critical not just to avoid incidents and casualties but also to transact with situations conveniently. This is reflected in training his daughter who aspires to follow her father’s suit.

List of expeditions done by him:-

Mt Kedardome (6800m)
Mt Golep Kangri (5900m), summiteer & team Leader
Hanging Peak, Siachen (5300m), summiteer & team Leader
Mt Stok Kangri (6153m), summiteer & team Leader
Mt Saruchi Lungpa (5400m), summiteer & team Leader
Mt Lobuje, Nepal (6100m), summiteer & team Leader
Mt Kun (7077m), summiteer & team Leader
Mt Everest (8848m), summiteer & team Leader
Unknown Peak in Mamostang Area (5900m), summiteer & team Leader
Unkown Peak in Siachen (5400m), summiteer & team Leader

Romil is also a popular motivational speaker and has held talks and workshops at various academic and research institutions and corporate houses.

“I take a keen interest in reaching out to people and learning from their life experiences which further helps me to inspire people towards a life of planned adventure and health and fitness,” he concluded.

Gold

Students from IIT Kharagpur have given a stellar performance in the state athletics championship. The students have won two gold, one silver and two bronze in the recently concluded 69th West Bengal Athletics State Meet 2019 held at Salt Lake stadium.

Manav Singh, a 2nd-year student at the Dept. of Mining Engineering clinched IIT Kharagpur’s first-ever State Gold in the event High Jump clearing the jump 1.77 in the Men under-20 category. The students won one more Gold in the Men’s under-20 category in the event 4x100m Relay. In the 4x400m Relay of Men’s under-20 category, the Institute’s team finished second in a nail-biting race on the final day of the Meet giving the first state athletics Silver of the Institute. The women’s teams giving a good fight till the end won two Bronze 4x400m and 4x100m Relay races in the under-20 category.

Talking about this feat, Manav Singh the Gold medal winner, pointed out how he changed his usual life of being an IITian to that of being a state-level champion. “In the summers this time instead of industrial internship I opted for practice sessions at IIT Kharagpur’s Technology Students Gymkhana. Sun or rain, morning or evening you would have seen us practicing under our coach Pranab Sarkar.”

On being asked about creating a balance between IIT’s academic requirements and rigorous sports practice schedule, Manav admitted his initial hindrances which he was able to overcome within a month with help from peers, trainer, and professors.

Talking about the performance of the students Athletics in-Charge at IIT Kharagpur’s Technology Students Gymkhana Shri Pranab Sarkar said, “The students, both boys and girls are really doing well in athletics in the last three years. This is not only in the State Athletics Championship of Bengal but also the Inter IIT sports meet and Sangram sports meet. In what was just our third appearance in the State Meet, IIT Kharagpur students bagged two gold and several other medals.”

He further added, “The students believe that highly academic achievers group would be no exception if they pursue a specific training program and they will have an equal advantage in developing athletic ability. The high academic achievers have also proved that they can show their athletic prowess if they get the opportunity and appropriate facility. Such perception may discard the age-old myth that academic achievement and sports performance can’t sit together.’

IIT’ kharagpur student’s (Athletics men and women) are really doing very well last three years not only the State Athletics Championship of Bengal but also the Inter IIT sports meet and sangram sports meet. IIT kharagpur won their first-ever gold medal in the State Athletics Championship, at the Salt Lake Stadium.In what was just our third appearance in the State Meet, IIT Kharagpur bagged two gold, two silver and one bronze in men team and two bronzes in women team. The IIT kharagpur student’s refuses that highly academic achievers group is no exception if they pursue a specific training program, they will have an equal advantage in developing athletic ability. The high academic achievers have also proved that they can show their athletic prowess if the found opportunity and appropriate facility. Such finding may discard the age-old myth “academic achievement and sports performance can’t sit together.”

The sports graph at IIT Kharagpur is set for an upward trend with the feat of the students in a tournament competing with professional athletes. While the IITs are known for academic and research excellence, there is a lack of knowledge about the holistic and inclusive student life through extra-academic activities. Majority of the students are engaged in sports, socio-cultural, fine arts or co-curricular techno-management activities. Sports, in particular, has received significant patronage at IIT Kharagpur in recent times.

“We have often observed that the youth who adopt one or more sports activities show improved academic performance, robust work-life balance and overall quality of life,” opined Officiating Director Prof. Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya. “We have been strategizing several programmes to elevate interest of students in sports and professional training required for it.

The Technology Students Gymkhana which is the nerve-centre of student life at the Institute receives generous funding from the Institute for infrastructure, training, practice, events etc. IIT Kharagpur has allocated ₹10 crore for upgradation of sports facilities before the Inter-IIT 2019 scheduled in December this year. Further to this, the Institute has roped in professional coaches for physical training, nutrition planning, grooming for resilience building, competitive attitude and self-motivation of students.

IIT Kharagpur has also signed an MoU with Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, Hyderabad to promote health and wellbeing within the scope of academics and extra-academic activities and setting up of Sports Academy is under consideration.

State Athletics Meet Individual performance of the players who gave their personal bests and near to Inter IIT record timings/distances:

E. Jagadeesh: 400m in 49.44sec, ranked 4th
Sanat Kailash: High Jump of 1.85m, ranked 4th
Men 4x400m Relay in 3:26 min, ranked 4th
Manas Patidar: 400m in 52.4sec, ranked 6th
E. Madhuri: 400m in 1:13 min, ranked 5th

IITKGP’s Happiness Boost for Sports

Times of India Hindustan Times Indian Express Ei Samay Business Standard Deccan Chronicle Asian Age Sakshi News The Hindu (Sportstar) Outlook InsideSport Sportsavour

IIT Kharagpur signed an MoU with Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy (PGBA), Hyderabad to promote health and wellbeing within the scope of academics and extra-academic activities. A delegation from IIT Kharagpur led by Director Prof. P P Chakrabarti met the Padma Bhushan awardee and Chief National Coach for the Indian Badminton team, Shri Pullela Gopichand at Delhi on March 30 in this regard. The collaboration is spearheaded by Mr S S Rekhi, US-based entrepreneur and alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, who seed-funded the Rekhi Centre for Science of Happiness at IIT Kharagpur and his company R Systems is the sponsor of Gopichand Badminton Academy.

The thrust areas of the collaboration include developing training programs by IIT Kharagpur focusing on happiness and wellbeing for enhancing the quality of performance and resilience. Players and coaches from PGBA will benefit from these programs. Further, the coaches will also be trained on how to use that knowledge while training players. Similar training programs and advisory modules will also be developed for the students and coaches of IITKGP in the field of sports in general and badminton in particular.

Deliberations were made regarding setting up a Sports Academy at IIT Kharagpur in collaboration with PGBA. “The Academy would promote collaborative research related to happiness in sports in general and badminton particular and science and technology in sports training. The scope would also include joint monitoring and use of materials used in general and badminton in particular by IIT Kharagpur and Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy” said Prof. Chakrabarti.

“I am very excited about this collaboration and look forward to the contribution of the Rekhi centre towards the wellbeing of my players and coaches. I am also very happy to know of a Sports Academy that is coming up at IIT Kharagpur and look forward to contributing to its development,” said P Gopichand.

“Our vision is to promote the science and practice of positivity for fostering meaningful life, happiness, well-being and holistic self-development. Today we have a lot more options for entertainment and engagement but these do not seem to have improved or rather worsened the mental health. Sports has proven evidence of improving resilience, concentration, tolerance and emotional quotient through training and discipline thus delivering happy generations to lead the world. In the corporate sector or any other field a trained and disciplined mind would always find more acceptance and appreciations,” said Mr Rekhi,

At IIT Kharagpur the program will be coordinated under the Rekhi Centre for Science of Happiness. “The Centre is developing a training program for the players and coaches to be scheduled in June 2019,” confirmed Prof. Priyadarshi Patnaik, Head of the Centre. The program will be led by renowned field experts and faculty of IIT Kharagpur such as Prof. M K Mandal, who was also the former Chief Controller (Life Sciences) at DRDO and Dr Saamdu Chetri, who instituted the Gross National Happiness Centre Bhutan.

“The Centre will organize talks and workshops by Mr Gopichand and coaches from his academy to promote sports and train students at IIT Kharagpur,” further added Prof. Patnaik.

IIT Kharagpur has been making sincere efforts to promote health and wellbeing through sports. While the alumni of the Institute have facilitated visits by foreign coaches, allocations were made to the extent of ₹10 crore to develop modern sports facilities.

“Our state-of-the-art athletics arena with a world-class synthetic track is now the best such facility in the IIT System and among the top few in the State. Such initiatives in the domain of sports and games are going a long way in the all-round development of the students of IIT KGP. You can already see the effect with our students winning prizes in State Championships,” added Prof. Chakrabarti.

Sports Finds Centre Stage at IIT KGP

Following the feat of winning medal at the State Athletics Championship, IIT Kharagpur has again ventured in the sports arena by roping in professional tennis player Saurav Sukul to train the students’ tennis team at IIT KGP. About 12 students are training for 4 hours a day of whom several are first time players. The Institute has also built a synthetic court for practice.

Sukul who has played professional tennis in the international circuit has recently started to train the students. “Though national and international level circuits require a substantial amount of time to be invested and regular training is required, the players here at IIT KGP are the creme of the society and even I am getting motivated by their talent and self-motivation despite tight study schedule,” he said. Sukul astounded with the facilities for training and engagement of human resources at IIT KGP which he affirms is comparable to top universities in the US where students are known to join colleges for playing sports.

The students have been doing associated with physical training sessions and food supplements. The students are currently training for the upcoming Inter-IIT Sports at IIT Guwahati.

Snigdha Pathak, 4th-year student of Integrated M.Sc. from the Dept. of Chemistry and captain of the Women’s Students’ Team said, “IIT KGP has given us really good opportunities to learn sports especially as a girl student I got the best opportunity to learn Tennis here with international tennis players training us in January and now an ATP player coaching us.”

Krishna Chaitra, 4th-year undergraduate student at the Dept. of Electrical Engineering expressed his delight n receiving such professional training which he believes will not only help the students in sports competition but further in their career even create opportunities for further pursuing sports career. Few students have already played at state junior level championships.

Illustrious alumnus and philanthropist Vinod Gupta had taken a keen interest in supporting the Tennis team through funding professional training programs. He has also arranged for two more Tennis coaches who would be joining the team later this year.

The Institute has already allocated an amount of Rs. 10 crore for upgrading and renovating sports activities to host the Inter IIT 2019. This is in addition to the annual sports budget of Rs 1.5 crore allocated by the Institute.

“The impact sports have on the human mind is much beyond physical fitness. It is known to make people resilient and self-motivated through constant training and a healthy competitive attitude which can positively affect studies and overall quality of life. We are contemplating on a major thrust to sports and extra-curricular activities to make education holistic, inclusive and strengthen resilience,” said Prof. P P Chakrabarti, Director, IIT Kharagpur.