CHENNAI: The much-anticipated four-day sports and cultural festival at the Vellore campus of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Riviera 2026, commenced on Thursday with a grand opening ceremony. Running from February 26 to March 1 under the theme “Rise. Rush. Revel,” the event was inaugurated by former Indian women’s cricket team skipper Mithali Raj.
Presiding over the ceremony, VIT founder-chancellor G Viswanathan stressed India’s need to lead globally through education. He noted that VIT alumni are working in 84 countries, and that placements are robust, with over 10,000 students already placed this year.
Addressing the students, Mithali Raj shared powerful life lessons, stating that passion must be backed by hard work and discipline. She advised engineering students to prioritise academics while using sports as a healthy hobby. “Any physical activity keeps the mind clear,” she said, encouraging daily dedication to fitness.
The evening soared with a high-energy performance by renowned playback singer Sunidhi Chauhan, whose popular film songs electrified the crowd. Earlier in the day, a marathon was flagged off by Vice President Sekar Viswanathan, with the former Indian skipper presenting awards to the winners.
Looking ahead, the festival will feature a music event with composer S Thaman on Friday.