THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
OCTOBER 23, 2026
Recognising the
achievements of its sportspersons on the international stage, KIIT and KISS on
Friday felicitated athletes who represented India at the 20th Asian Games in
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, with
cash awards totalling Rs 2.5 crore.
The felicitation
ceremony, held at the KIIT campus here, celebrated the athletes' medal-winning
performances and contributions to India's sporting achievements, highlighting
the institutions' continued focus on nurturing talent and promoting excellence
in sports.
At the Asian Games,
57 athletes from KIIT and KISS represented India and collectively won 21
medals. Their medal tally was equal to that of Punjab and ranked third among
Indian states, after Haryana and Maharashtra. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,
14 KIIT students represented the country and secured five medals, further
strengthening the institutions' record of producing international-level
sportspersons.
The ceremony was
attended by KIIT and KISS founder Prof Achyuta Samanta as the chief guest, KIIT
Vice-Chancellor Prof Saranjit Singh, Director General of Sports and Yoga and
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration)-cum-Registrar Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, and
KIIT-DU's Dr Gaganendu Dash, among other dignitaries. Several other athletes
and award winners also joined the programme remotely.
The athletes
delivered notable performances across athletics, hockey and other sporting
disciplines, recording significant achievements that included national records,
historic medal-winning feats and contributions to India's success in team
events.
India's men's and
women's hockey teams both clinched gold medals at the Asian Games, while
several Indian athletes also secured qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles
Olympic Games, marking a significant step towards competing at the world's
premier sporting event.
As part of the
felicitation, Asian Games gold medallists received Rs 7 lakh each, silver
medallists Rs 5 lakh and bronze medallists Rs 3 lakh. For the Commonwealth
Games, gold medallists were awarded Rs 5 lakh each, silver medallists Rs 3 lakh
and bronze medallists Rs 2 lakh. Participants who represented the country were
also felicitated with cash awards of Rs 1 lakh each.
The medallists
expressed their gratitude to Samanta for his contribution towards providing
world-class sports infrastructure and facilities, which they said had helped
them prepare for and excel at international competitions.
Reaffirming his
commitment to supporting sporting talent, Samanta said KIIT and KISS would
continue to extend all possible assistance to athletes to help them achieve
greater success and bring laurels to the state and the country.
He also announced a
cash award of Rs 1 crore for athletes who win gold medals at the upcoming
Olympic Games, underlining the institutions' commitment to encouraging
sportspersons to excel at the highest level of international competition.
"Along with
education, we give our best to promote sports at our university. I extend my
heartfelt congratulations to all the achievers and participants. I also thank
the Prime Minister and the Sports Minister for their support to sportspersons.
We will always stand with our athletes and ensure that they get the support
they need to perform at their best and bring accolades to our state and the
country," Samanta said.
The achievements reflect KIIT and KISS's sustained investment in sports infrastructure, coaching and athlete development. The institutions provide free sports training to students and create opportunities for them to compete at inter-university, national and international levels.
Athletes are selected through open trials based on sporting merit, enabling talented students to access training facilities and pursue competitive sports alongside their education. The institutions' model aims to support promising sportspersons by combining academic opportunities with structured sports training and exposure to high-level competitions.
