Badminton icons Pullela Gopichand and Saina Nehwal along with IIT Hyderabad Director BS Murty at the 58th Inter IIT Sports Meet at the IIT Hyderabad campus in Kandi in Sangareddy district on Sunday. | Photo credit: MOHD. ARIF
The 58th edition of the inter-IIT sports meet kicked off at IIT-Hyderabad in Kandi, Sangareddy on Sunday. The week-long event sees the participation of about 2,500 students from 23 IITs in various sports disciplines.
This will be followed by an inter-IIT staff sports meet to be held from December 24 to 29 with over 2,000 participants in various categories.
Inaugurating the sports meet, Olympian and badminton star Saina Nehwal said that a country’s pride can be built not only through cutting-edge research and innovation, but also through fitness, passion for sports and a healthy lifestyle. “Sports isn’t just about week-long competitions; it’s about the habits we build every day. Regular exercise and staying active instills discipline, resilience and focus — qualities that are just as important as academics and research,” she said.
India’s Badminton Head Coach, Pullela Gopichand, was also present at the ceremony, advocating for sports to become an integral part of campus life. “I firmly believe that sports add immense value to a student’s life by building character, discipline and self-confidence. When sports become a way of life on campus, they enrich education and help shape well-rounded individuals,” he said.
IIT-Hyderabad Chairman BVR Mohan Reddy and Director BS Murty were present.
Published – 14 Dec 2025 19:52 IST
