Dr. Shikha Mishra
Six-day sporting extravaganza witnesses enthusiastic participation of thousands of students across 15 disciplines; Anshul Bisht and Pooja emerge winners in 100-metre races
Lead Reporting
Dehradun: The six-day annual sports festival of Shri Guru Ram Rai University (SGRRU), ‘Khelotsav-2026’, concluded on a vibrant note at the university sports ground on Monday, November 2, with students showcasing their athletic abilities, competitive spirit and teamwork across 15 sporting disciplines.
Held from October 28 to November 2, the festival witnessed the enthusiastic participation of thousands of students from various university schools. The School of Management and Commerce Studies emerged as the overall champion, securing the highest number of medals and lifting the coveted overall trophy.
Shri Mahant Devendra Das Ji Maharaj, President of Shri Guru Ram Rai University, congratulated the winning athletes, participants, organisers and the entire university fraternity for the successful conduct of the sporting event.
The closing ceremony opened with a devotional Ganesh Vandana presented by students, followed by energetic musical performances by students of the Music Department, adding colour and enthusiasm to the celebrations.
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bipin Chandra Ghildiyal said Khelotsav provided students with an important platform to showcase their talent while nurturing the values of competition, cooperation and collective responsibility. He emphasised that active participation in sports alongside academics helps develop balanced and multidimensional personalities. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for students to excel in both academic and sporting pursuits.
Registrar Dr Sonika Kandari said the enthusiastic participation of students reflected the university’s vibrant and disciplined academic culture. She appreciated the contribution of departments, faculty members and students in making the six-day event a success.
Presenting the sports report, Khelotsav-2026 Secretary and University Sports Officer Satya Prakash Joshi said the festival was not merely about winning medals and trophies but also about promoting holistic development, confidence and healthy competition among students. “Those who win become an inspiration, while those who lose learn,” he observed.
Outstanding performances across sporting events
Athletes delivered impressive performances in several track and team events. In the 100-metre sprint, Anshul Bisht of the School of Engineering and Technology secured first place in the boys’ category, while Pooja of the School of Management and Commerce Studies topped the girls’ category.
In the 200-metre relay, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences emerged victorious in the boys’ category, while the School of Nursing claimed the girls’ title.
The 800-metre race saw the School of Management and Commerce Studies win the boys’ category, while the School of Engineering and Technology secured first place in the girls’ category.
In the cricket final, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences defeated the School of Yogic Science and Naturopathy by 25 runs to lift the championship trophy.
The faculty cricket final was contested between the university’s Pathri Bagh and Patel Nagar campuses. An all-round performance by Dr Arun Kumar helped the SGRR Patel Nagar Campus secure the final trophy.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dr Puneet Ohri, Chairperson of Khelotsav-2026, expressed gratitude to the guests, participants, faculty members and organising committee for their support. The programme was conducted by Aakriti Rawat.
Dr Ganarajan, Dr Ashish Kulshrestha, Dr Rajendra Negi, Dr Manjusha Tyagi, deans of various university schools, heads of departments, faculty members, students and sports enthusiasts were among those present.
