KIIT felicitates its medal-winning athletes at WUG 2025 after scripting history with India’s highest university medal tally.
(Photo Courtesy: KIIT)
BHUBANESWAR, India, August 6, 2025 — In a defining moment for Indian university sports, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT-DU) has propelled India to its best-ever performance at the World University Games (WUG) 2025 held in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. With a total of six medals—three silver and three bronze—KIIT emerged as the top-performing Indian university at the Games, contributing 50% of India’s overall tally of 12 medals.
KIIT’s achievement not only reinforces its reputation as a hub for academic excellence but also places it firmly at the center of India’s rising prominence in global university athletics.
Medal-Winning Performances
Silver medals were secured by:
- Ankita – 3000m Steeplechase
- Praveen Chithrawal – Triple Jump
- Seeman – 5000m Final
Bronze medals were clinched by:
- Men’s 4x100m Relay Team – Sahkanth Hoblidhar, Animesh Kujur, Lalu Prasad Bhoi, and Matyam Jayaram Dandapati
- Women’s 20km Race Walk Team – Munitap Rajpathi, Mansi Negi, Sejal Anilsingh
- Avinash Mohanty – Badminton Singles
The athletes were felicitated in Bhubaneswar upon their return by Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT and its sister institute, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS). In recognition of their achievements, silver medallists were awarded ₹3 lakh each, and bronze medallists ₹1 lakh each, at a grand ceremony attended by Olympians and dignitaries.
“This is more than a medal count—it is proof that when young talent is nurtured with scientific training, consistent support, and belief, they can rise to global excellence,” said Dr. Samanta. “We are proud that 40 of the 42 athletes from Odisha in the Indian contingent were from KIIT.”
Leading India’s Sporting Surge
With 40 athletes competing across seven disciplines, KIIT had the highest representation by any Indian university at WUG 2025, held from July 16–27 across the Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin. This included participants in track and field, badminton, and race walking among others.
WUG, often referred to as the “Olympics for university athletes,” featured over 300 Indian student-athletes selected through nationwide trials spanning more than 400 universities. KIIT’s dominant contribution has raised the bar for Indian university sports at an international level.
A Legacy of Sporting Excellence
KIIT was designated once again as a Nodal University by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), a role it previously fulfilled during WUG 2019 in Napoli and WUG 2023 in Chengdu, where it sent 14 athletes and won two medals. In contrast, the 2025 performance has marked a quantum leap.
Dr. Samanta extended thanks to the Odisha Sports Department, Sports Authority of India (SAI), AIU, and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, while also acknowledging Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continued encouragement of youth in sports.
Setting a New National Benchmark
For the first time in the event’s 65-year history, an Indian university has secured the highest number of medals in a single edition of the World University Games. KIIT’s holistic approach—combining academics with athletics—has demonstrated a powerful model for institutions across India to emulate.
“This is not just a celebration of medals but a celebration of what focused support, scientific training, and belief in youth can achieve,” said Dr. Samanta.
With this achievement, KIIT has redefined the role of Indian universities in shaping global sports champions.
