CHENNAI : Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) students’ sports activities are set to get a boost with the inauguration of ‘Sitara Indoor Sports Complex’ in the campus on Monday (4th November 2024).
This facility supplements the current sports facilities, which include basketball, volleyball, football and cricket grounds besides the Gymkhana Sports Complex and the Swimming Pool, among other sports facilities.
This new complex houses four state-of-the-art badminton courts, a gallery in the mezzanine floor, and multiple table tennis courts besides an open tennis court in the terrace. This sports facility results from the philanthropic efforts of an anonymous donor who is an alumnus of IIT Madras.
The Sitara Indoor Sports Complex was inaugurated by three eminent personalities from the Indian Sports Community in the presence of Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, in the presence of Mr. Shankar V., Chairperson, IIT Madras Alumni Charitable Trust. The three sportspersons – Table Tennis Champion Mr. Sharath Kamal, who is a Padma Shri Awardee and a five-time Olympian, Mr. Somdev Devvarman, Davis Cup Player (Tennis), and Padma Shri awardee, besides Ms. Manisha Ramadoss, Bronze medallist at the Paralympic Badminton Championship, Paris 2024 inaugurated the centre, participated in panel discussion and also interacted with the students at IIT Madras.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “The day is not far off when IIT Madras will have an Olympian as an alumnus. Five National Champions have been admitted under the ‘Sports Excellence Admission’ of IIT Madras, and sure we will be admitting many more sportspersons in this category. I would like to see this facility completely full all evenings. We will bring national champions and others with exceptional skills so that IIT Madras students get the opportunity to play with the best and improve their standards.”
Prof. V. Kamakoti added, “This Sports facility is only the beginning with many more such facilities being planned including a new state-of-the-art swimming pool to replace the existing one. We will consistently keep improving the quality of the facilities to that we move towards international standards in terms of the courts, the equipment and the training. We are very committed to sports. IIT Madras also has established the Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA).”
IIT Madras is the first IIT in the country to introduce admissions for sportspersons in its undergraduate programmes. The Institute introduced the ‘Sports Excellence Admission’ (SEA) from the current academic year of 2024-25.
This building also houses the Centre of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics headed by Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering.
This Centre aims to take the lead in creating a support infrastructure for Sports Tech for various players in India by creating awareness about opportunities in this space, showcasing some products and applications, enabling networking opportunities for various players and bringing both public and private players under one roof to enable collaboration opportunities.
Thanking the anonymous alumnus donor for the generous contribution, Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), said, “IIT Madras has always recognized the importance of physical exercise and sports in achieving academic excellence. The Institute has been in constant pursuit to provide all-round sports facilities for our students. We are truly grateful to the alumni community that stepped forward to support us in this venture. This generous gesture will take the sporting achievements of the institute to a whole new level, and through the sports-related research that we do we also hope to influence the sporting fortunes of the country.”
Mr. Shankar V., Chairperson, IIT Madras Alumni Charitable Trust, talking about the prominence sports gets with the institute and its alumni community, said, “Participating in sports during college builds resilience, teamwork, and time-management skills—qualities essential for both personal growth and career readiness. It enhances mental health, fosters a sense of community, and empowers students to achieve academic success while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.”
Explaining the role of the alumni community and their contribution to the institute’s development, Mr Kaviraj Nair, CEO, Office of Institutional Advancement, IIT Madras, said, “We are immensely grateful for the generous contribution from our esteemed alumnus, which has enabled us to create this state-of-the-art sports complex for our students. At IIT Madras, we believe in nurturing not only academic excellence but also the physical and mental well-being of our students. This sports facility is a testament to the unwavering support of our alumni, who continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the institute’s holistic development.”
