CHENNAI: The 58th Inter-IIT Sports Meet 2025 commenced on Sunday at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), marking the start of a week-long celebration of competitive sport and campus camaraderie among India's premier technical institutions.

The national-level tournament, being co-hosted by IIT-Madras, IIT-Hyderabad and IIT-Tirupati, will run till December 21.

Indian international cricketer Sai Sudharsan was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony in IIT-M, with former India cricketer Sridharan Sriram and Indian men’s basketball team captain Muin Bek Hafeez as guests of honour. V Kamakoti, director of IIT-M, presided over the event, which featured cultural performances, including Mallakhamb, showcasing India’s traditional sporting heritage.

Addressing the gathering, Kamakoti said: “With the introduction of Sports Excellence Admissions, world-class sporting infrastructure, and a Centre of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics, IIT-M’s emphasis on sports is well documented. We have already incubated 5-6 startups focused on sports and sports analytics, underlining the potential of a thriving sports innovation ecosystem.”

Sudharsan described the sports meet as a vital platform for aspiring sportspersons, stating that institutional support from IITs played a crucial role in enabling students to pursue sports alongside academics.

The 2025 edition features around 3,800 student-athletes across all three host campuses. IIT-M is hosting 950 athletes, 550 men and 400 women, competing in badminton, basketball, squash and table tennis, supported by state-of-the-art facilities. IIT-Hyderabad will conduct athletics, cricket, football, hockey and volleyball, while IIT-Tirupati will host chess, tennis and weightlifting.