- 22nd Edition Draws Record Participation Across Universities and Schools
- Padma Bhushan Awardee Sunil Gavaskar Graces Closing Ceremony
- BPDC Emerges Overall Champion
Dubai, UAE: BITS Pilani Dubai Campus (BPDC) successfully concluded the 22nd edition of the BITS Pilani Sports Festival (BSF) 2025 recently , reinforcing its position as the UAE’s largest university sports festival. Over five days, the event hosted more than 5,500 student athletes from 39 universities, along with 1,200 students from 20 schools, marking one of the most diverse and vibrant editions in BSF’s history.
The closing ceremony was graced by Padma Bhushan awardee and cricket legend Mr. Sunil Gavaskar as Chief Guest, with Dr. Eesa Mohammed Bastaki , President of University of Dubai , attending as Guest of Honour. Also present were Prof. Souri Banerjee, Director BPDC, Prof. Geetha Kannan, Associate Dean, Student Welfare Division, and Dr. M. Rafiuddin, Convener – BSF, alongside representatives from universities, schools, sponsors, and faculty.
Founded by Dr. M. Rafiuddin, BSF has grown from a four-sport collegiate event into one of the region’s most influential inter-university sports festivals, now spanning 11 major sporting disciplines. Over the years, BSF has welcomed icons such as Diego Maradona, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, VVS Laxman, and others—adding another distinguished name this year with the presence of Mr. Sunil Gavaskar.
Mr. Gavaskar’s arrival was met with a spirited campus procession featuring traditional music and enthusiastic student participation. His interaction with students was warm, encouraging, and deeply insightful.
Sharing lessons from his early sporting journey, Gavaskar said: “I am very happy to be here at what is the best university sports festival in the UAE. In my college days, cricket was not a career option, but the sport taught me the value of the three D’s—dedication, discipline, and determination. If you follow the three D’s, I am certain your dream, whatever you want to be in life, will happen. To those who didn’t win today, keep trying, keep learning, and always keep your eye on the prize.”His message resonated strongly with the audience, reinforcing BSF’s mission of nurturing discipline, resilience, and ambition in young athletes.
BITS Pilani Dubai Campus delivered exceptional performances across categories, securing the Overall Championship Trophy with 7 gold and 7 silver medals. Their victories included Chess Boys, Tennis Girls, Throwball, Badminton Girls, and Table Tennis Boys, accompanied by multiple runner-up finishes. For the first time in 22 years, BPDC’s Football team clinched the gold medal after a dramatic penalty shootout—an achievement celebrated as a landmark moment in BSF history.
The tournament also showcased strong performances from universities across the UAE, with notable wins by RIT in Basketball Boys, University of Dubai in Volleyball Boys, Manipal University in Cricket Boys and Throwball, Westford University in Cricket Girls, Middlesex University in Chess Girls, and UOWD in Tennis Boys.
In the schools’ segment, Winchester delivered exceptional multi-sport performances to secure the overall championship. DPS Sharjah, NIMS Dubai, SIS, Westminster, Cambridge, and Wise India also registered strong finishes across categories, reflecting the increasing competitiveness of the school-level tournament.
Prof. Souri Banerjee expressed pride in hosting one of the festival’s most successful editions, noting that the presence of Mr. Gavaskar was a source of immense motivation for students.
Dr. M. Rafiuddin thanked sponsors, volunteers, and the organizing team, reaffirming BSF’s long-standing vision of promoting sportsmanship, community engagement, and youth empowerment in the UAE.
With live entertainment, student-led media, food zones, and enhanced digital engagement, BSF 2025 recorded strong public interest and significant online reach. Looking ahead, BPDC plans to expand BSF with additional sporting disciplines, deeper school collaborations, and a strengthened Inter-BITS Championship to unify athletes across all BITS campuses.
