The Upamanyu Mallik Cricket Tournament – Bharatpur, Bhubaneswar

The third Upamanyu Mallik Cricket tournament was conducted on 13th and 14th September 2025 at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Community Playground, Bharatpur near Beena Bharati Vidya Mandir. A total of 93 participants (47 girls and 46 boys) competed in the 14-17 age category, showing strong gender inclusion and active community participation.

As part of the tournament, a qualifier showdown was held on 13th September in the under-14 category, with 6 teams playing in a round-robin format and the under-17 category with 3 teams competing.The final matches were organized on 14th September, where 4 teams competed in the under-14 category, and 4 local teams played alongside 2 external teams (one from Hope Foundation, Kolkata and another from Rama Krishna Siksha Kendra (RKSK), IRC Village, Bhubaneswar) in the under-17 category.

The tournament was filled with energy, teamwork, and sportsmanship, giving each participant a chance to showcase their skills, learn from the competition, and experience the joy of community sport. Field observations highlighted remarkable enthusiasm, teamwork, and sportsmanship among all participants. The balanced participation of girls and boys demonstrated the growing inclusivity of community sports.

What made this tournament truly special was that it was entirely organized and facilitated by community youth leaders, also called “Upamanyu’s ambassadors” of the CCP. Over 30 stakeholders including school teachers, principals, parents, and ex-program participants joined as volunteers, making it a community-driven celebration of sport. This event was not just a tournament-it was a celebration of talent, collaboration, and the spirit of cricket in Bharatpur!