The two-day ASMITA Rugby Bhubaneswar City Tournament 2026 concluded successfully at KISS, Bhubaneswar, on September 19 and 20. The tournament provided a competitive platform for women and young girls to showcase their rugby skills and promote greater participation in the sport. A total of 18 teams participated in three categories—Senior Women, U-18 Junior and U-15 Sub-Junior, with six teams in each category. In the Senior Women category, KISS Queens emerged champions, followed by Super Senior and Rugby Queens. In the U-18 Junior category, Golden Eagles secured first place, followed by Rising Star and Black Queen. In the U-15 Sub-Junior category, Wild Tiger emerged champions, followed by Rising Warriors and Black Tiger. The opening ceremony was attended by Upendra Kumar Mohanty, Vice-President, Odisha Rugby Football Association (ORFA); Rudrakesh Jena, Joint Director, Sports, KISS; Sato Hirosaki, Japanese Coach; and international rugby players Hupi Majhi, Sumitra Nayak and Ganesh Dhangada Majhi. The tournament was conducted by Rajkishore Murmu, H.D. Majhi, Chandan Soren, Jasobanta Kumura and Pulin Soren. The event was supported by KIIT University, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, Rugby India and Odisha Rugby Football Association (ORFA). The organizers expressed their sincere gratitude to Prof. (Dr.) Achyuta Samanta for his continued support and visionary leadership in promoting sports and creating opportunities for young athletes at KIIT & KISS. The successful tournament marked another step towards strengthening women’s and girls’ participation in rugby and providing grassroots athletes with valuable competitive exposure.
