Tripura University to Host First National-Level Women’s Basketball Tournament; 600 Players from 14 States to Take Part

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, November 10, 2026

Tripura University is set to host its first national-level women’s basketball tournament, bringing together around 600 players representing 40 universities from 14 States in a five-day sporting event beginning November 11. The initiative is expected to provide a major boost to women’s basketball in the Northeast while placing Tripura on the national university sports map.

Announcing the event at a press conference at the Press Club here on Tuesday, Tripura University In-charge Registrar Professor Samir Kumar Sil said that universities from across the country had expressed their willingness to participate in the tournament. The competition will offer women basketball players an opportunity to showcase their talent and compete at the national level.

Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu will inaugurate the tournament at 5 p.m. on November 11 at the university campus. Vice-Chancellor Professor Debabrata Das will preside over the inaugural ceremony. The university’s Finance Officer Debashish Pal, Professor Sudip Das, Professor Prashanta Kumar Das and Dr Deepak C.S. are also expected to attend.

A key feature of the inaugural programme will be the felicitation of two eminent sportspersons from Tripura — Padma Shri awardee and celebrated gymnast Dipa Karmakar, and Mantu Debnath, the first sportsperson from the State to receive the Arjuna Award.

The university will honour the two athletes in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Indian sports and their achievements at national and international levels. Their presence and accomplishments are expected to inspire young athletes, particularly women, to pursue competitive sports.

Professor Sil said the tournament was part of the university’s efforts to promote sports alongside academic activities and create greater opportunities for women in organised sporting competitions. Bringing together teams from 14 States, he said, would also encourage interaction among players and promote sporting exchange between universities.

At the press conference, Professor Prashanta Das, Dr Krishnendu Dhar and Pawan Kumar Singh were also present.

The five-day tournament is expected to provide a platform for emerging basketball players to demonstrate their skills, teamwork and competitive spirit. It will also test the university’s capacity to organise a national-level sporting event and strengthen Tripura’s profile as a destination for major university sports competitions.

The participation of nearly 600 players from 40 universities is expected to make the event one of the significant university-level women’s basketball competitions hosted in the region. The initiative also carries significance for women’s participation in sports, particularly in the Northeast, where greater institutional support and exposure to national competitions could help identify and nurture emerging talent.

The university expects the tournament to foster healthy competition, national integration and stronger sporting ties among participating institutions.

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