Bhubaneswar: The 47th All India Railways Bridge Championship commenced today at the Railway Indoor Stadium in Mancheswar, with B. S. K. Rajkumar, Additional General Manager of East Coast Railway (ECoR), formally inaugurating the three-day national event. Scheduled from November 17 to 19, 2025, the championship marks a significant milestone for ECoR as it hosts the prestigious tournament for the first time on behalf of the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB).
The responsibility entrusted to East Coast Railway reflects the zone’s growing stature in the sporting arena, a development attributed to the leadership of General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal, who has been instrumental in upgrading sports infrastructure and cultivating a culture of competitive excellence.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the AGM expressed pride in ECoR’s role in bringing together top-tier talent from across Indian Railways. The Odisha Bridge Association has partnered with ECoR to support the conduct of the tournament, further strengthening the event’s organisational framework.
Teams from Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, Metro Railway, Central Railway, and East Coast Railway are participating in the championship. The event has attracted some of India’s leading bridge players—including Sumit Mukherjee, Debabrata Majumder, Sagnik Roy, Gopinath Manna, Sayantan Kusuri, and Sandeep Datta—who have all represented the country in major international meets such as the Asian Games, Commonwealth Championships, and the World Cup.
The tournament comprises Team Events, Board-A Matches, and Pairs Competitions. Significantly, it will also function as the official selection trial for the Indian Railways Bridge Team, which will go on to compete in national-level championships.
The inaugural event was attended by several senior officials and members of the sports fraternity. Hemant Kagra, President of the East Coast Railway Sports Association (ECORSA), played a key role in coordinating preparations to ensure the smooth organisation of the championship.
By hosting the tournament, East Coast Railway reinforces its commitment to promoting sporting excellence and nurturing high-performance talent across various Railway sports disciplines.
