The Iconic India International Open Gateball Tournament 2025 began today with grand celebrations at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The event is jointly organized by the Iconic Sports Federation (ISF) and the Indian Gateball Union (IGU), marking yet another milestone in India’s growing sports landscape.

The opening ceremony was graced by several distinguished guests, including former Governor Ganeshi Lal, Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naok, MP Rabindra Narayan Behera, and BJP Media Cell President Sujit Das among others.

A total of 200 Indian athletes from 18 states are competing in the tournament, along with teams and officials from Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Indonesia. With such international participation, Bhubaneswar once again strengthens its position on the global sports map.

Key ISF leaders—Prasanna Choudhury, Chidatmika Khatua, Sanjay Choudhury, Sheikh Abdul Samim, Pradeepta Mohanty, and Executive Chairman Tarini Prasad Mohanty—were present at the event. Senior IGU officials, including Umakant Pani, also joined the ceremony.

In an exciting announcement, ISF revealed plans to launch an International Gateball League in Canada soon.

“Our mission is to make India a global icon in sports. This tournament marks the beginning of a new journey,” said ISF Director Sanjay Choudhury.