Bhubaneswar: Odisha has emerged as a hub for school-level sports as it hosts the 69th National School Games Federation of India (SGFI) Rugby Championship 2025–26 at Kalinga Stadium, drawing young talent from across the country.
The national-level championship, featuring both boys and girls in the Under-17 and Under-14 categories, is being held from April 6 to April 10, bringing together teams from multiple states and organisations.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Sports and Youth Services Department, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Other dignitaries present included N. Thirumala Naik, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, School and Mass Education Department; Birendra Korkora, Director of Secondary Education; Jyoti Prasad Parida, Assistant Director (PET); Arvind Yadav; and international rugby player Dumuni Marandi.
Addressing the participants, Poonia encouraged young athletes to compete with sportsmanship and aspire to represent their state and country at international levels. SGFI Observer Yadav commended the Odisha government for hosting the championship at a world-class venue and expressed optimism about the state hosting more such events in the future. Dumuni Marandi also inspired the players by sharing her journey in international rugby.
The Under-17 competitions for boys and girls are being held on April 6 and 7, while the Under-14 matches are scheduled for April 9 and 10.
Around 460 players from 15 states and organisations are participating in the Under-17 category, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, along with teams from CBSE and CISCE.
