Palampur institute to host Shanti Swarup tourney

The CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, (IHBT), Palampur, will host the 52nd Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Memorial Tournament (SSBMT) from February 7 to 10. This tournament is a prestigious event of the institute’s sports promotion board, regularly organised in various CSIR laboratories at specific intervals. Outdoor competitions in volleyball and cricket will be organised during this SSBMT (outdoor) final competition. Teams from 16 CSIR laboratories across India, who have qualified the zonal events, will participate in the tournament. These are CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad; CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow; CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi; CSIR-CEERI, Pilani; CSIR-CGCRI, Kolkata; CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad; CSIR-IIIM, Jammu; CSIR-IIP, Dehradun; CSIR-IMTECH, Chandigarh; CSIR-NAL, Bengaluru; CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow; CSIR-NCL, Pune; CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad; CSIR-NIO, Goa; CSIR-NIScPR, New Delhi; CSIR-NPL, New Delhi. A women cricket match will also be hosted.

Dr Sudesh Kumar Yadav, director of CSIR-IHBT, said, “All preparations are complete and I am eagerly looking forward to welcome the participants. I am confident that they will participate with true sportsmanship and enjoy every moment.”

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar was one of the brightest luminaries of science in India and CSIR’s first director (now director general). CSIR initiated the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Memorial Tournament to honour his legacy. The tournament serves as a platform to foster unity within the CSIR family, promote team spirit and leadership skills. Initially, the tournament was organised by the CSIR headquarters. Over time, it became a regular pan-India sports event, hosted by different CSIR laboratories every two years, inspiring participation within the scientific community.