Nanded: The 27th edition of the Maharashtra State Inter-University Sports Festival, sponsored by the Office of the Governor, will be organised with great enthusiasm by Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University (SRTMU), Nanded, from Thursday, Dec 4 to 8. The grand sporting event will bring together athletes from 24 universities across the state.
A total of 3,307 athletes, including 1,721 boys and 1,586 girls, will compete in eight major sports: badminton, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, kho-kho, kabaddi, chess, and athletics (running, high jump, long jump, etc.). Along with the participants, 576 coaches and managers will accompany the contingents, while 276 referees have been appointed by the university.
A major highlight this year is the launch of the ‘Bharat Portal’, introduced on the suggestion of the Governor. For the first time, all competitions will be streamed nationwide through this portal. SRTM University becomes the first university in Maharashtra to implement this initiative, marking a proud moment for the institution.
To ensure smooth conduct of the festival, the university has set up 28 dedicated committees under the guidance of Vice-Chancellor Dr Manohar Chaskar and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Ashok Mahajan. These committees cover all aspects from logistics, eligibility, technical arrangements, hospitality, finance, cultural programmes, and torch relay to cleanliness, transport, media coordination, and prize distribution. Faculty and staff from various colleges and the university campus are actively involved.
The festival will be inaugurated on Thursday at 4:30 pm by former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Chavan. Vice-chancellor Dr Manohar Chaskar will preside over the ceremony.
Minister for Sports & Youth Welfare Manikrao Kokate, Minister for Bahujan Welfare, Dairy Development & Renewable Energy and Nanded Guardian Minister Atul Save, Minister for Public Health & Family Welfare Meghna Bordikar, and DIG (Nanded Range) Shahaji Umap will be present as guests of honour. Several MPs, MLAs, university council members, and eminent personalities, including Arjuna and Shiv Chhatrapati Awardee Sarika Kale, will also grace the event. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Ashok Mahajan will serve as the president of the welcome committee.
The concluding ceremony and prize distribution will take place on December 8 at 11 am at the university sports ground. Vice-chancellor Dr Chaskar will preside.
University Registrar Dr Dnyaneshwar Pawar and Director of Sports & Physical Education Dr Bhaskar Mane have appealed to students, staff, and sports lovers to participate and witness the grand event.
