National Inter-State Athletics Championship 2023

The National Inter-State Athletics Championship 2023 started on June 15 and will come to an end on June 19. The championship is being held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. This is the 62nd edition of the championship. The National Inter-State Athletics Championship 2023 will act as a selection trial for the athletes to participate in three major international sporting events: Asian Games, the biannual Asian Athletics Championships and the World Championship. Athletes from different states will be competing against one another to win event titles and secure a spot at these international events. 

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has made it compulsory for athletes who wish to participate in the Asian Games to take part in the inter-state meet. The only two athletes who have been granted exemption from this are Neeraj Chopra and Vinash Sable, due to their excellence in their respective sports. 

The inauguration ceremony at Kalinga Stadium was attended by the Indian Olympics Association President and notable sports personality PT Usha, who delivered an inspiring speech on the occasion. Other personalities present for the event included Radhakrishnan Nair who is the Chief Coach of Indian Athletics, Vineel Krishna, the Sports and Youth Services Secretary and Tusharkanti Behera, the Minister for Sports and Youth Services.