KIIT and KISS: A Leading Hub for Prestigious Sporting Events

KIIT and KISS: A Leading Hub for Prestigious Sporting Events

With cutting-edge sports infrastructure and comprehensive facilities, KIIT and KISS have emerged as prominent destinations for hosting both national and international sporting events. The institutions’ integrated, high-quality venues continue to draw major tournaments across various sports disciplines.

Over the years, KIIT-KISS has served as the venue for numerous prestigious international events. These include the World Junior Chess Championship (2016), the T-20 Blind Cricket World Cup match between India and New Zealand (2017), the Asian Cities Chess Championship (2017), the Asian Petanque Championship (2018), and the India-Australia International University Bilateral Cricket Series (2024). In 2021, the campus also hosted FIFA’s Football for Schools initiative.

A landmark event in the institutions’ journey was the inaugural Khelo India University Games in 2020, which brought together more than 4,000 athletes and 1,000 officials from nearly 200 universities across India. Featuring 17 sports disciplines, the event was a major success and underscored KIIT-KISS’s commitment to sports excellence. The institutions have also hosted other notable events such as Ranji Trophy matches, the National Open Athletics Championship, and the All India Forest Sports Meet.

In 2023, KIIT and KISS achieved another milestone by hosting the first Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav, organized in association with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Government of Odisha. The event aimed to promote athletic participation among tribal communities and saw the enthusiastic involvement of over 5,000 athletes and 1,000 officials representing 26 states.

Additionally, KIIT has been home to the KIIT International Chess Festival since 2010. Now ranked among the top four Grandmaster-level chess tournaments in Asia, the event attracts elite grandmasters, international masters, and rising chess talents from around the world. The 14th edition, held in 2023, featured over 1,200 players from 20 countries, including 14 grandmasters and 50 international masters, all competing for a prize fund of ₹32 lakh.

Note: This article is written by Branded Desk