1,198 athletes, 2 titles: NIT Calicut tops Inter-NIT sports meet at Rourkela

By TUF News Desk · Published 2 November 2026 · 3 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

A total of 1,198 student-athletes from 30 National Institutes of Technology and IIEST Shibpur spent three days competing in Rourkela, and the institute that left with the most silverware was National Institute of Technology Calicut. The All India Inter-NIT Sports Meet 2026-27, hosted by the National Institute of Technology Rourkela, ran from October 30 to November 1, 2026.

Five categories were on the programme: men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s handball, and men’s hockey. Matches were played at the P.T. Usha Stadium, the Indoor Stadium at NIT Rourkela, and the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

Calicut win handball and hockey

NIT Calicut won the men’s handball title, with the National Institute of Technology Warangal finishing as first runner-up and the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology Surat as second runner-up. Pavan Kalyan of NIT Calicut was named the best player in men’s handball.

Calicut added a second title in men’s hockey. Hosts NIT Rourkela finished as first runner-up in front of their home crowd, and the National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli finished second runner-up. Aman of NIT Rourkela was named the best player in men’s hockey.

The women’s handball title went to the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur, ahead of NIT Warangal and NIT Calicut. Bhagya Santoshi of VNIT Nagpur was named the best player in that event.

Jamshedpur and Kurukshetra take the volleyball titles

The National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur won the men’s volleyball championship, with NIT Tiruchirappalli second and SVNIT Surat third. In women’s volleyball, the National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra took the title, followed by NIT Calicut and NIT Jamshedpur.

The spread of titles across six institutes is the part worth noting for students comparing NITs. No single campus swept the meet. Calicut led with two titles, but the remaining three titles went to three different institutes, and the host institute reached a final in hockey.

How the meet was run

The Games and Sports Society of the Student Activity Centre at NIT Rourkela organised the meet. Prof. Mohd. Khalid Gul and Prof. Aditya Das coordinated it, with support from Sports Officer C. Alagesan and Sports Assistant Preetam K. Mishra. NIT Rourkela thanked the All India Inter-NIT Sports Board for entrusting it with hosting the event.

Students planning to apply to an NIT can read our guide to choosing a university in India for how to weigh academics, campus life and sports facilities together, and check the official NIT Rourkela website for the institute’s own announcements.

Frequently asked questions

How many athletes took part in the Inter-NIT Sports Meet 2026-27 at NIT Rourkela?

1,198 student-athletes from 30 National Institutes of Technology and IIEST Shibpur took part in the three-day meet from October 30 to November 1, 2026.

Which institute won the most titles at the Inter-NIT Sports Meet 2026-27?

NIT Calicut won two titles, the men’s handball championship and the men’s hockey championship.

Which sports were played at the Inter-NIT Sports Meet 2026-27?

Five categories were played: men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s handball, and men’s hockey.

Where were the Inter-NIT Sports Meet 2026-27 matches held?

Matches were held at the P.T. Usha Stadium, the Indoor Stadium at NIT Rourkela, and the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: India Education Diary, Ommcom News