Bhubaneswar, April 6: The 69th National School Games Federation of India (SGFI) Rugby Championship 2025–26 for both boys and girls in the Under-17 and Under-14 categories was inaugurated at Kalinga Stadium on Monday here.
The national-level school rugby championship will be held from April 6 to April 10.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by the Sports and Youth Services Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia. Among the distinguished guests present were Dr. N. Thirumala Naik, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, School and Mass Education Department; Birendra Korkora, Director of Secondary Education; Jyoti Prasad Parida, Assistant Director (PET); SGFI Observer Arvind Yadav; and international rugby player Dumuni Marandi.
Addressing the participants, Poonia encouraged the players to compete with true sportsman spirit and strive to represent their state and country at the international level.
SGFI Observer Yadav appreciated the School and Mass Education Department and thanked the Odisha government for organizing the event at an international venue like Kalinga Stadium. He also expressed hope that more international-level sporting events would be hosted in Odisha in the future. International rugby player Dumuni Marandi shared her experiences with the young athletes.
Under-17 boys’ and girls’ competitions are being held on April 6 and 7, while the Under-14 categories will take place on April 9 and 10.
A total of around 460 players from 15 States and organizations are participating in the Under-17 championship, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, New Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, CBSE Welfare Sports Organisation, and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.
