Grand Inauguration Marks Beginning of Apollo Sports Meet 2026
The Inaugural Function of the Apollo Inter-School and Institutional Sports Tournament 2026 was conducted with great enthusiasm at the ASTRA (Apollo Sports Training and Recreational Arena) Sports Centre, Apollo Knowledge City, Murakambattu, Chittoor, on the 24th of March 2026 at 4:00 PM, as part of the AKC Cultural and Sports Day Celebrations 2026. The function saw lively and whole-hearted participation from the students, faculty, and staff, marking the determined beginning of the week-long sports event.
The Inaugural Function of the Apollo Inter-School Sports Tournament 2026 was formally inaugurated by Dr. H. Vinod Bhat, Honourable Vice Chancellor of The Apollo University, hoisting the flag and lighting the lamp. In his inaugural speech, he emphasized the importance of sports in the development of students, stating that sports not only help students achieve physical fitness but also have a positive influence on their mental health, discipline, leadership skills, and teamwork. He further stated that the sports infrastructure at the Apollo Knowledge City would play a vital role in the development of sporting talents and the growth of sports culture.
The event was attended by important guests, including Registrar Prof. M. Potharaju, Additional Registrar, Mr. S. Anil Kumar, Dr. Alfred J. Augustine, Dean of AIMSR Dr. Jagadeesan, Dean of School of Technology Prof. K. Bhaskar Reddy, Dean of AIPS Dr. Murali Krishna, Director of Student Affairs and Chief Convenor, AKC Sports and Cultural Day along with Physical Education Assistant Directors, Dilip Kumar Y and Ms. Sumalatha and Sports Club Faculty Coordinator Dr. G. Swapna. The presence of these guests made the event very special and encouraged the students to participate actively. One of the parts of the opening ceremony was the torch run, which showed that the students are united, disciplined and true sportsmen. Students from departments took part in the torch run with a lot of enthusiasm and worked together very well showing that they are a strong team and are proud of their institution. The athletes also promised to play and follow the rules of sports, which is very important for the tournament.
The tournament will go on from March to 2nd April 2026 and it will have many different types of competitions between institutions, schools and departments which will help students do their best and work together as a team. The tournament spans a week and features a carefully organized schedule that includes a diverse range of sporting events for both men and women. Competitions in Volleyball (Men), Basketball (Men & Women), and Football (Men & Women) are being conducted from 24th to 27th March 2026. Cricket events for both categories are scheduled over a longer duration, from 25th to 31st March 2026. Alongside these, indoor and skill-based games such as Chess, Carroms, Badminton (Men & Women), and Throwball (Women) are taking place from 26th to 31st March 2026. Traditional and team-oriented sports including Kabaddi (Men & Women), Kho-Kho (Men & Women), Table Tennis (Men & Women), and Tennikoit (Women) are being organized between 24th and 28th March 2026. The tournament will culminate with Athletics events—covering both track and field disciplines for men and women—scheduled from 30th March to 2nd April 2026, bringing the sporting celebrations to a grand conclusion. On the day Registrar Mr. M. Potharaju started the first basketball match, which set the tone for the rest of the tournament. During the sports week students will take part in team and individual events showing their skills, discipline and competitive spirit. The schedule is planned in a way that will keep everyone engaged with many matches and competitions happening at the time, in different parts of the campus and it will all end with a valedictory function including cultural performances, distribution of awards and recognition Ceremony to honor the students who do very well and finding the outstanding performances.