East Coast Railway to Host 47th All India Railways Bridge Championship in Bhubaneswar
The three-day event at Mancheswar Indoor Stadium will feature top bridge players and also serve as selection trials for the Indian Railways team.
East Coast Railway will host the 47th All India Railways Bridge Championship from 17 to 19 November at the state-of-the-art Railway Indoor Stadium, Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar.
This is the first time East Coast Railway has been entrusted with organising this prestigious national event on behalf of the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB)—a responsibility that reflects the organisation’s rising stature in the field of sports.
The initiative has been championed and guided by Parmeshwar Funkwal, General Manager, East Coast Railway, whose leadership has been instrumental in strengthening sports infrastructure and fostering a culture of sporting excellence across the zone.
Funkwal’s emphasis on professional organisation, athlete support, and facility enhancement has enabled East Coast Railway to emerge as a preferred venue for major national-level championships. His encouragement and keen interest in developing mind and strategy-based sports like Bridge has significantly contributed to ECoR being chosen as the host for this major event. The championship is being conducted with active support from the Odisha Bridge Association.
Teams from Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, Metro Railway, Central Railway, and East Coast Railway are participating. The tournament features some of India’s most accomplished bridge players, including Sumit Mukherjee, Debabrata Majumder, Sagnik Roy, Gopinath Manna, Sayantan Kusuri, and Sandeep Datta, many of whom have proudly represented India at international events such as the Asian Games, Commonwealth Championships, and the World Cup.
The three-day championship includes Team Events, Board-A Matches, and Pairs Competitions. Importantly, it also doubles as the selection trial for the Indian Railways Bridge Team, which will represent the Railways at national-level competitions.
By hosting this prestigious event, East Coast Railway underscores its commitment to nurturing sporting culture, providing world-class facilities, and promoting excellence across all disciplines of Railway sports.