The student community at IITB is an active and thriving one. The development and management of all student activities comes under the purview of Students' Gymkhana. It is instrumental in identifying student issues and promoting discussion on them. It functions as the office for all elections and nominations of students for gymkhana activities. There are several student bodies that work under the aegis of the Gymkhana.

Introduction

Excellence in sports is a direct index of the stature and intellectual maturity of an institute. IIT Bombay has always aimed to set a precedent for other institutions by laying utmost emphasis on the multifaceted development of its students and pushing them to raise the bar by striving to be ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’. With a deeply ingrained sports culture and the ‘Right of Sports for all’ as a cornerstone of its Sports policy, the institute has, over the years, channelized its resources towards the development of a state of the art sporting complex that caters to over fourteen sports. All the facilities are helmed by seasoned training staff so that even beginners have a beautiful chance to learn the craft and their more experienced counterparts can receive the requisite guidance.

Facilities

IITB offers its students sports facilities of an international level with fully-furnished courts and high-quality equipment.

AQUATICS	ATHLETICS
BADMINToN	BASKETBALL
BOARD GAMES	CRICKET
FOOTBALL	HOCKEY
KHO KHO	LAWN TENNIS
SQUASH	TABLE TENNIS
VOLLEYBALL	WEIGHTLIFTING
ADVENTURE SPORTS	DARK KNIGHT (CHESS)
FITNESS CLUB

Besides, every hostel has dedicated volleyball, badminton and basketball courts, cricket pitches and football fields, snooker, table tennis and foosball tables and is completely decked with various equipments which can be issued by students.

Sports for everyone

A passion for sports has always been a part of the very fabric of the institute. To ensure a healthy continuity of this tradition the Sports Council organises a multitude of sports and fitness camps that vary in the degree of professionalism (amateur, intermediate or advanced) as well as the rigour of instruction.

Moreover, to keep with dynamically evolving exercise regimens, workshops on modern forms like Zumba, Mixed Martial Arts and AquaYoga and target specific weight loss camps are conducted. And to satisfy the cravings of the adventure streak in all of us, there are regular excursions to the Himalayas, daunting treks and adrenaline pumping sports like rafting, rock climbing and mountaineering, with scuba diving plans in the pipeline.

The Government of India, through the National Sports Organisation, mandates that all incoming freshmen must undergo a structured training in a sport of their choice. At IIT Bombay, NSO forms an integral part of the curriculum and classes are offered in sports with biweekly instruction.

Aavhan

Aavhan is a three day extravaganza that brought together participants to combine the thrill of competition with the joy of sports. The state-of- the-art facilities at the institute played host to over three thousand sportspersons representing universities, clubs and organizations across the nation. Tough battles were waged across courts, fields and the pool in a bid to bring home the glittering trophies that were at stake in thirteen different sports.

The inaugural edition of Aavhan, IIT Bombay’s sports festival, which was held from 24 th May 2017 to 26 th May 2017,The fever that had engulfed the campus was tangible as all events witnessed large spectator turnout. Despite there being some of the finest talent from across the country for display, the IIT Bombay contingent refused to give any quarter and ensured that all their opponents had to toil and prove their mettle to emerge champions.

The extensive planning and relentless work that was put in by the Sports Council, the support staff and other authorities to get the sponsors on board and translate this long standing dream into a reality was evident from the flawless execution of the event. The grand success of the festival can be attributed to the way it managed to capture the passion to conquer and the quest for glory- the very essence of all sporting activity. Now that Aavhan is set to be an annual fixture, it only promises to get bigger, better and more entertaining and we couldn’t be more excited!

The Council

The responsibility for the efficient management of all issues pertaining to sports at the institute level rests with the Sports Council, an annually elected body. Helmed by the General Secretary, the council comprises 4 nominees, 14 sport-specific secretaries, 1 Technical Head, 1 Media Head, 1 Creatives Head.

Championships

At the institute level itself, a steady string of competitive events is organised throughout the year with tournaments on conventional sports, upcoming games as well as their modern improvisations. The General Championships are keenly contested as they bring budding talent into the spotlight besides resting on a traditional yet healthy inter-hostel rivalry as its bedrock. The ever increasing participation among girls has prompted the advent of a separate Girls GC which is now a permanent fixture. Outside of the mainstream GC framework, leagues and events are also organised periodically to allow players to hone and display their skills and to instil a sporting ethic among all students. For fostering a spirit of fraternity in the hostels, the Hostel Council holds multiple events to promote interaction across batches and departments.

Inter IIT Championships

Touted as the ‘Holy Grail’ amongst all the sports events, representing IITB at the Inter IIT Sports meet is the ultimate honour for any student at the institute. Each year, one of the seven older IITs plays host to contingents from the other campuses, with players in their quest for glory competing fiercely to lift the coveted trophy.

Moreover, considering the level at which the competition operates and the fact that it is the highest stature that can be associated with a sportsperson at the institute, getting to represent IITB at this event in the first year itself ought to be a matter of great honour and pride for any freshman.

In recent years, IITB won the Overall General Championships for 3 consecutive years 2007- 2009, then again in 2012 and the last time in 2016. The 50th Inter IIT Sport Meet was hosted rather magnificently by the institute and 56th Inter IIT Sports Meet will also be hosted by IIT Bombay in 2023. That there have been several instances of individuals being crowned champions at the meet in sports they learnt only after joining the institute speaks volumes of how IIT Bombay provides ample opportunities to cultivate talent and nurture it.

The championship is held in December every year, with a separate aquatics meet in October. For the main meet, selection trials commence in October. Those selected become a part of the Inter IIT Training Camp which begins from last week of November, continuing until the date of departure.

To know more about Sports at IIT Bombay, visit https://gymkhana.iitb.ac.in/~sports/.