The ICAR North Zone Sports Tournament was successfully organized by the Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB), Hisar, from March 9 to March 12, 2026. The tournament witnessed enthusiastic participation from 21 institutes of the North Zone under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). In addition, ICAR–Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai, a deemed university, participated in the tournament on a rotation basis. A total of 858 participants participated in 40 sports events.
The tournament was inaugurated on March 9 by Chief Guest Prof. B. R. Kamboj, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The Guest of Honour, Ms. Ekta Bhyan, Paralympian, encouraged the participants and emphasized the importance of determination, discipline, and sportsmanship. At the onset, Dr. T.K. Bhattacharya, Director, ICAR-CIRB welcomed Chief Guest, Guest of Honour and all participants of 21 ICAR Institutes.
Participants competed in various sports and athletics events during the four-day tournament. In the athletics category, Ms. Ritu Kudke from ICAR–Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana, was declared the Best Woman Athlete, while Mr. Neeraj Kumar Singh from ICAR–Indian Sugarcane Research Institute, Lucknow, was awarded the Best Male Athlete. The Overall Championship Trophy was won by ICAR–Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Dehradun.
The host institute, CIRB Hisar, also achieved notable success in several events. Mrs. Savita won a gold medal in the discus throw event. The CIRB team secured a bronze medal in the 4×100meter relay race. In table tennis (doubles), Mrs. Savita and Mrs. Reetu Sharma finished as runners-up. Mr. Nakul from CIRB won a bronze medal in the 400-meter race, while the CIRB kabaddi team also finished as runners-up.
The valedictory ceremony held on March 12 was graced by Chief Guest Dr. Rahul Narwal, Deputy Commissioner, Hansi who congratulated the winners and appreciated the efforts of the ICAR-CIRB for successfully organizing the mega event
The event concluded with a prize distribution ceremony, promoting sportsmanship, teamwork, and camaraderie among ICAR institutes of the North Zone.
