Chatha, Jammu, Nov 13: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday inaugurated the 22nd All India Vice-Chancellor’s T20 Cricket Tournament 2026 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu), bringing together 24 university teams from across the country.

The tournament, being hosted at the university's Chatha campus from November 13 to 23, features six teams from Jammu and Kashmir and 18 from other states, with around 500 participants.
Addressing the inaugural gathering, the Chief Minister congratulated SKUAST-Jammu and participating universities for providing university employees a national platform to showcase their sporting talent.
He said universities were built not only by students and faculty but also by employees whose contributions often remained behind the scenes. The tournament, he added, offered them an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and strengthen institutional bonds through sports.
Emphasising the importance of sportsmanship, Omar Abdullah said victory and defeat were part of every competition and urged players to value friendships and experiences beyond match results.
Quoting writer Rudyard Kipling, he said participants should learn to treat triumph and disaster alike, observing that success and failure were temporary, while friendships forged through sporting events lasted longer.
Welcoming the participating teams to Jammu, he described it as the City of Temples and encouraged visitors to explore its cultural and historical attractions, including Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and Border Tourism facilities. He also highlighted the region's hospitality and rich Dogra cuisine.
Earlier, the Chief Minister conducted the ceremonial toss between the host SKUAST-Jammu team and Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, and interacted with players.
Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives Javid Ahmad Dar; Minister for Planning, Development and Monitoring, Culture, Youth Services and Sports, and ARI and Trainings Mir Saifullah; and SKUAST-Jammu Vice-Chancellor Prof B.N. Tripathi attended the inaugural ceremony.
The event featured a march-past by participating teams, ceremonial torch lighting and a cultural performance by the Madras Regiment.
The Ministers appreciated the university for hosting the national-level tournament and stressed the importance of promoting fitness, discipline, teamwork and sporting culture among university employees.
In his address, Vice-Chancellor Prof B.N. Tripathi described hosting the 22nd edition as a matter of pride for the university and Jammu and Kashmir. He said the tournament would promote physical fitness and strengthen professional relationships beyond routine academic and administrative responsibilities.
Director Students Welfare and Nodal Officer of the event Dr Sudhakar Dwivedi, Registrar Prof Anil Kumar, university officers, faculty members, staff and delegates from participating institutions were also present.
The tournament, exclusively organised for university employees, will continue until November 23, with a series of T20 matches aimed at promoting inter-university cooperation and sporting spirit.