Excitement is building across the state capital as sports authorities make final preparations to host the prestigious Asia Rugby Emirates U20 Sevens Championship 2026 at the iconic Kalinga Stadium on November 14 and 15.
Odisha Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj conducted a comprehensive review meeting to assess the event’s readiness, directing officials to deliver a seamless international sporting spectacle.
The high-octane two-day tournament is being jointly organised by Rugby India, the Department of Sports and Youth Services (Government of Odisha), and the Odisha Rugby Football Association.
TOURNAMENT AT A GLANCE
┌───────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Event │ Asia Rugby Emirates U20 Sevens Championship 2026 │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Dates & Venue │ November 14–15, 2026 | Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Organizers │ Rugby India, Odisha Sports Dept, Odisha Rugby Association │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Participating Nations (10)│ India, Hong Kong China, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei, Nepal, │
│ │ Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Jordan │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Team Breakdown │ 17 Teams Total (10 Men's Teams | 07 Women's Teams) │
└───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Eight Odia Players Earn National Colours
In a major milestone for regional sports, eight players from Odisha have earned selection into the Indian U20 squads, reflecting the state’s growing prowess in rugby development.
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Men’s Squad Selections (5): Bharat Kisan, Vidyadhar Majhi, Charan Hembram, Rahul Majhi, and Subash Hansda.
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Women’s Squad Selections (3): Mamali Singh (Vice-Captain), Anita Murmu, and Sumitra Murmu.
Full Indian Squad Lineups
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Men’s Squad: Pushpender (Captain), Rajan Rawat (Vice-Captain), Ajit Nag, Aman, Arun Prajapat, Bharat Kisan, Bidyadhar Majhi, Charan Hembram, Naman Yadav, Rahul Majhi, Rohit Kumar, and Subash Hansdah.
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Women’s Squad: Tanushree Bhosale (Captain), Mamali Singh (Vice-Captain), Akshaya NS, Anita Murmu, Anushka Sankpal, Dipali Tathe, Khushi Devi, Kirti Jadhav, Aditi Sakharam Londhe, Saloni Kumari, Samruddhi Kadam, and Sumitra Murmu.
Top-Tier Logistics and Infrastructure
During the review session, Minister Suryabanshi Suraj issued strict directives to ensure world-class hospitality, smooth transport, and comfortable lodging for all arriving international contingents. He emphasised establishing robust multi-tier security measures, continuous power supply, clean sanitation facilities, and stringent fire safety protocols across Kalinga Stadium.
Highlighting Odisha’s expanding sports footprint, Shri Suraj noted that Kalinga Stadium has already successfully hosted three major national rugby competitions this year—the Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championship, the ASMITA Rugby League – National, and the National Rugby 15s Championship (Division I). Hosting an international event of this scale further solidifies Odisha’s reputation as a premier sports hub while inspiring grassroots athletes to pursue rugby competitively.
The high-level meeting was attended by Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shri Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Police Commissioner Dr Suresh Dev Datta Singh, BMC Commissioner Shri Chanchal Rana, Director of Sports Dr Yeddula Vijay, and Additional Director (I&PR) Smt. Deeptimayee Mahapatra.
