AIU East Zone Inter University Basketball begins at USTM

Guwahati, Nov 15: The All India University (AIU) East Zone Inter-University Basketball Men and Women’s Tournaments 2022-23 which is being organised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi and hosted by the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) was inaugurated here today by Lakhya Konwar, Vice President, Athletics Federation of India and General Secretary Assam Olympic Association and Raj Kakoti, Vice President Assam Olympic Association.
The inauguration was attended by the USTM Vice Chancellor Prof GD Sharma; Akash Phukan, Vice Chairman, Board of Sports, Assam; Commonwealth Gold Medalist Nayanmoni Saikia;  Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Arjuna Awardee, Basketball and Captain of India Team;  Mohit Bhandari, Team India Basketball Coach ; Arjun Singh, Member, India Team Basketball, Binod Choudhury, Former India player and Head Coach at NF Railways and veteran sports journalist  Subudh Malla Baruah, apart from noted sports personalities and other dignitaries and sports lovers.
Addressing all the participants in the inaugural ceremony, Lakhya Konwar said that the Government is promoting sports and Khelo India Programme was introduced by the IndianMinistry of Youth Affairs and Sports for this purpose.
 He urged all the players coming from different states of India to inculcate the spirit of sportsmanship and give their best to the sport. 
The opening match was played between Gauhati University, Assam and Viswa Bharati University, West Bengal.
This 11-day long tournament has begun today with the Women’s Basketball competitions in which 36 teams are participating representing different NE states, Odisha, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal. 
The women’s event will continue till 18 th of November while the Men’s events will start from 22nd to 2 th November 2022 in the sports complex of USTM. A total of 51 teams are going to participate in the Men’s competitions.
The top 4 teams from both Women’s and Men’s events will participate in Khelo India University Games.
Rizaul Ahmed, Convenor, Sports Forum USTM and Organizing Secretary of East Zone Inter University Basketball Competition said, “Accommodation for all the 450 players, 70 coaches in the women’s competition and 612 players and 100 coaches in the Men’s competitions from 17 th to 26 th of November has been taken care of by USTM”.
 He said that the USTM has also arranged subsidised quality food for all the participants. “We have prepared two world class basketball courts where day-night games will be played and the event will be judged by 20 FIBA, BFI affiliated referees”, he added.