SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday inaugurated the 22nd All India Vice-Chancellors’ T20 Cricket Tournament 2026 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu), Chatha, bringing together 24 university teams from across the country.
The tournament, being hosted by SKUAST-Jammu from November 13 to 23, features six teams from Jammu and Kashmir and 18 from other states. Exclusively meant for university employees, the national-level event aims to promote sporting talent, physical fitness and interaction among employees of higher educational institutions.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Omar congratulated SKUAST-Jammu, the participating universities and their Vice-Chancellors for providing university employees with a common platform to showcase their sporting abilities.
He said universities were not built by students alone but also by employees who worked behind the scenes to strengthen academic institutions. Such employees, he observed, often did not get opportunities to showcase their talents, and the tournament provided them with an opportunity to come together through sports.
“Universities are not just about students. They are also built by the people who work behind the scenes to make these institutions shine. Often, these employees do not get the opportunity to come to the forefront. This tournament gives them a platform to showcase their talent and come together through sports,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of sportsmanship, the Chief Minister said the significance of the tournament extended beyond winning matches, as the friendships and bonds developed among participants would remain its lasting achievement.
He urged the players to accept both victory and defeat with equal composure, quoting renowned writer Rudyard Kipling: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat both those imposters just the same.”
He said success and failure were temporary, while the friendships and memories created through sporting events lasted much longer.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir’s recent sporting achievements, Omar said changing fortunes were an integral part of competition. He remarked that had the same team continued winning every time, Jammu and Kashmir might not have had the opportunity to win the Ranji Trophy last year.
Welcoming the participating teams to Jammu, he described it as the City of Temples and encouraged the visitors to explore its religious, cultural and historical attractions.
He also invited them to visit the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and explore Border Tourism facilities along the International Border.
The Chief Minister urged the visiting players to experience Jammu’s hospitality and culinary traditions, particularly Dogra cuisine, which he said deserved recognition alongside Kashmir’s popular delicacies.
Earlier, Omar conducted the toss between the captains of the host SKUAST-Jammu team and Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, and interacted with players representing participating universities.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives Javid Ahmad Dar; Minister for Planning, Development and Monitoring, Culture, Youth Services and Sports, and ARI and Trainings Mir Saifullah; and SKUAST-Jammu Vice-Chancellor Professor B.N. Tripathi, who presided over the function.
A parade by the participating university teams marked one of the highlights of the ceremony, reflecting the spirit of unity and sportsmanship. The ceremonial torch was also lit after being carried around the ground by players and handed over to the Chief Minister, who lit the main torch.
A cultural programme presented by the Madras Regiment added to the inaugural celebrations.
The ministers appreciated SKUAST-Jammu for hosting the national-level tournament and stressed the importance of physical fitness, discipline, teamwork and promoting a healthy sporting culture in educational institutions.
In his address, Professor B.N. Tripathi thanked the Chief Minister and other dignitaries for attending the inaugural ceremony.
He described hosting the 22nd edition of the tournament as a matter of pride for the university and Jammu and Kashmir, saying the event offered university employees a national platform to demonstrate their sporting abilities, improve physical fitness and develop professional relationships beyond their routine academic, research and administrative responsibilities.
He also acknowledged the efforts of university officers, faculty members, staff, students and the organising committee in arranging the event.
Director Students Welfare and Nodal Officer of the tournament Dr Sudhakar Dwivedi, Registrar SKUAST-Jammu Professor Anil Kumar, other dignitaries, participating teams and delegates from universities across the country were also present.
The tournament will continue until November 23, with teams competing in a series of T20 matches. Besides encouraging healthy competition, the event is expected to strengthen inter-university cooperation and provide an opportunity to showcase Jammu and Kashmir’s institutional infrastructure, hospitality and cultural heritage.
