KIIT University to Represent Largest Number of Indian Athletes at World University Games 2025

KIIT (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology) is ready to set a new milestone in Indian university sport by sending the largest number of athletes from one single institution to the next World University Games (WUG) 2025, which will be held in Germany. A record 40 student-athletes from KIIT will represent the university in seven sporting disciplines, which will be the university with the highest individual representation from India.

The World University Games, known as the Olympics for student-athletes in the 17-25 year age group, will take place from July 16 to 27 in Germany's Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin. This year, over 300 Indian athletes from 61 universities will take part in the international event, after a tough selection process that saw over 400 institutions in the country submit applications.

KIIT's Ongoing Leadership in Sports Excellence

Consolidating its leadership in sports, KIIT has been assigned the role of a Nodal University for the second time by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)—a responsibility it has performed admirably well in earlier editions of the Games, including Napoli 2019 and Chengdu 2023.

Some of the university's star performers this year are:

Rupal – 400m sprint

Ankita Dhyani – 3000m steeplechase

Jeswin Aldrin – Long Jump

Praveen Chithravel – Triple Jump

Animesh Kujur – Current national record holder for 100m sprint

A Vision Rooted in Sports and Education
Congratulating the competing athletes, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, the Founder of KIIT and KISS, underscored the institute's steadfast focus on integrating academics and sports.
"KIIT's philosophy is straightforward—sports and education go hand in hand. We have always made investments in creating a sporting culture where students can excel on and off the pitch," explained Dr. Samanta.
The commitment of KIIT isn't limited to sportsmen alone—it is also delegating a number of known professionals as part of the Indian team of 407 comprising coaches and sports administrators.

Some of the well-known personalities include:

Rahul Banerjee – Arjuna Awardee, Archery

Surinder Singh – National Archery Coach

Sanjay Garnaik – International Athletics Coach

Lotak Bindu Dash – International Volleyball Coach

Baljit Singh Sekhon – International Shooting Official and Head of Delegation

Odisha: Next Sports Powerhouse
Odisha will be the second-highest contributing state with 42 athletes going to Germany after Punjab. Besides the 40 students from KIIT, one athlete each from Utkal University and Sambalpur University will represent them.
KIIT's increasing sports fame isn't a recent thing. In the last World University Games competition at Chengdu (2023), KIIT athletes like Olympian Dutee Chand returned with medals and honor. Chand won gold in sprinting, while Bhavani Devi made impressive plays in fencing. Other Indian celebrities such as Manu Bhaker, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, and Swapnil Kusale also showed exceptional performances.

At a Glance: KIIT at WUG 2025
40 KIIT sportspersons to represent India in 7 disciplines of sport

KIIT remains a Nodal University with a lead organizational role

Odisha dispatches 42 sportspersons, second among all states of India

Dr. Achyuta Samanta reaffirms commitment to "Education with Sports" vision