CHATHA, JAMMU, NOVEMBER 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the 22nd All India Vice-Chancellor’s T20 Cricket Tournament 2026 at the Cricket Ground, Main Campus of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu), Chatha.
Being hosted by SKUAST-Jammu from November 13 to 23, the prestigious national-level tournament has brought together 24 teams representing universities from different parts of the country, including six teams from Jammu and Kashmir and 18 from other states.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister congratulated SKUAST-Jammu, the participating universities and their Vice-Chancellors for bringing university employees together on a common sporting platform. He said the tournament was a welcome initiative that provided an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contribution of university employees who work behind the scenes in strengthening academic institutions.
“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 that the spirit of the tournament should go beyond competition, the Chief Minister said that while teams would compete against each other on the field, the real achievement would be the friendships and bonds they establish during their stay in Jammu.
He observed that victory and defeat were integral to sports and urged participants to treat both with equanimity. Quoting renowned writer Rudyard Kipling, he said, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat both those imposters just the same,” adding that success and failure were temporary, while the friendships and memories created through such events endured.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir’s recent sporting achievements, the Chief Minister said that if the same team continued to win every time, Jammu and Kashmir might not have had the opportunity to bring home the Ranji
Trophy last year, underlining that competition and changing fortunes were part of the sporting journey.
Welcoming the participating teams to Jammu, he described the city as the City of Temples and invited the players to visit Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and explore the region’s cultural and historical attractions, including the Border Tourism facilities along the International Border.
The Chief Minister also encouraged the visitors to experience the hospitality and culinary traditions of Jammu, particularly the rich Dogra cuisine, which he said deserved as much appreciation as the well-known delicacies of Kashmir.
Earlier, the Chief Minister conducted the toss between the captains of the host SKUAST-Jammu team and Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University Jalgaon team and interacted with players from the 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 & Trainings Mir Saifullah; and Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu Prof. B.N. Tripathi, who presided over the function.
A major highlight of the ceremony was the impressive parade of participating university teams, reflecting the spirit of unity and sportsmanship. The occasion also witnessed the lighting of the ceremonial torch, which was carried by players around the ground before being handed over to the Chief Minister, who lit the mainceremonial torch.
A cultural programme presented by the Madras Regiment added vibrancy to the occasion and was appreciated by the audience.
The Ministers appreciated SKUAST-Jammu for hosting the national-level sporting event and emphasised the importance of promoting physical fitness, discipline, teamwork and a healthy sporting culture among employees and educational institutions.
In his address, Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu Prof. B.N. Tripathi expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and other dignitaries for gracing the occasion. He said hosting the 22nd edition of the tournament was a matter of immense pride for the university and Jammu and Kashmir.
He observed that the tournament provided a unique national platform for university employees to showcase their sporting talent, promote physical fitness and strengthen professional relationships beyond their routine academic, research and administrative responsibilities. He also acknowledged the collective efforts of university officers, faculty, staff, students and the organising committee in making the event possible.
Director Students Welfare, SKUAST-Jammu and Nodal Officer of the event, Dr. Sudhakar Dwivedi; Registrar SKUAST-Jammu Prof. Anil Kumar; other dignitaries; participating teams and delegates from universities across the country were also present.
The tournament, exclusively meant for university employees, will continue until November 23, with participating teams competing in a series of T20 matches. Besides promoting 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 richness.
