Bhubaneswar: The grand opening ceremony of the 31st Sub-Junior National Baseball Championship 2026 was Sunday at the KISS Stadium Campus–1 in a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere with participation from players, officials, dignitaries, and sports lovers from across the country.
Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, President, Amateur Baseball Federation of India, appreciated the efforts made by Odisha in successfully hosting the prestigious national championship and committed to taking steps to promote baseball at the national level and also encouraged the young athletes to uphold the spirit of discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Additionally, Mohanty announced a visionary initiative for the development of baseball in the country.
He expressed his commitment to establishing an International Baseball Academy in collaboration with KIIT & KISS University in the near future, equipped with world-class sports infrastructure.
The tournament was inaugurated by chief guest, Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT & KISS amidst loud applause and enthusiasm from the participants.
The event was also graced by Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, KIIT University, and Saranjit Singh, Vice Chancellor, KIIT University, as guests of honour.
The programme included addresses by several eminent personalities associated with baseball. Sibananda Pradhan, General Secretary, Baseball Association of Odisha, presented the tournament report.
Prabodh Mohanty, President, Baseball Association of Odisha, highlighted Odisha’s growing role in promoting baseball and grassroots sports development and welcomed all the participants to this mega event.
