Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar today unveiled the 'mascot' and 'logo' of the 'Asia Rugby (Under-20) Championship-2025' to be held for the first time in Rajgir, Bihar, at 'Sankalp' located at 1, Anne Marg.

After the unveiling, the Chief Minister said that it is a matter of great happiness that Bihar is organizing the 'Asia Rugby (Under-20) Championship-2025' for the first time. Today the 'symbol' and 'mascot' of the competition have been unveiled. He said that the players of Bihar are making their mark at the national level very fast by continuously performing better in rugby. The game of rugby is very popular in Bihar and the organization of this game will send a good message to the youth. This tournament will not only take the sports culture of Bihar to the global stage, but will also set a new record in the rugby world of Asia.

It is noteworthy that for the first time in Bihar, 'Asia Rugby (Under-20) Championship-2025' is being organized by the Sports Department, Government of Bihar on 09 and 10 August 2025 in the campus of State Sports Academy-cum-Bihar Sports University, Rajgir. In this sports complex of Rajgir, the state government has developed world-class facilities for training and organizing competitions of many types of sports. Recently, many games were organized in this sports complex under Khelo India Youth Games 2025. In this competition, along with India, teams from China, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Nepal, i.e. a total of 9 teams are participating. All the teams will stay in Rajgir itself. For organizing this game, an amount of Rs 4.08 crore has been approved by the State Council of Ministers on 19 March 2025. The name of the mascot 'Ashok' is inspired by Emperor Ashoka who is a symbol of leadership, vision and change. This name not only reminds us of the glorious history but also represents the core spirit of the game which is associated with discipline, courage and determination.

Ashok is depicted as a rabbit who is fast, alert and agile. These qualities are most important in a fast-paced game like rugby. The agility and speed of the players symbolize the speed of the game and the accuracy of the strategy. Ashok's armour, helmet and shield symbolize his preparation, self-confidence and mental strength. The rugby ball in his hand tells that now his battlefield is the game where courage, determination and strategy are needed at every step. Ashok is not just a mascot. He is a message that Bihar will now lead not only in history but also in the future of sports. He represents the energy of the youth, the ambition of Bihar and the spirit of this tournament.

A golden chapter is going to be added to the history of Bihar. For the first time, the grand event of 'Asia Rugby (Under-20) Championship-2025' will be held in the ancient city of Rajgir on 9 and 10 August 2025. 8 men's and 8 women's teams will participate in it, which include top Asian countries like India, Hong Kong, China, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia (men only) and Nepal (women only). From August 7, all the teams will reach Rajgir, where they will experience the hospitality tradition of Bihar. The grand opening ceremony organized in the Kabaddi Hall of Rajgir Sports Complex on August 8 will add to the glory of this event. All the teams will stay in Rajgir itself, which will give a unique confluence of local culture and rugby. Out of the 32 rugby playing countries of Asia, only the top 8 ranked teams participate in this prestigious championship, which underlines its importance.

This event is a matter of pride for Bihar, as rugby is included in the 14 priority sports of the state. Players from Bihar will also prove their talent in the Indian rugby team. Recently, the women's team of Bihar won the silver medal in the National Games, while in the school games, the boys and girls teams hoisted the flag of Bihar in rugby by winning championships in junior, sub-junior and senior categories. This championship will provide a global platform to the emerging players of Bihar and will arouse enthusiasm among the youth towards rugby. This event to be held in Rajgir will prove to be a milestone in the sports journey of Bihar, which will take the identity of the state to new heights across the world.

This 'logo' of 'Asia Rugby (Under-20) Championship-2025' organized in Rajgir (Bihar) is a living symbol of the historical heritage, cultural diversity and sports culture of the state of BIHAR.

The colors blue, green and earthy color used in this 'logo' express the nature, culture and life energy of Bihar. The modern drawing style makes it contemporary, while the symbolism gives it depth. This design is not just an identity, but a creative depiction of the soul of Bihar as well as a beautiful amalgamation of tradition and modernity.

During the program, Rugby India President Mr. Rahul Bose presented a book and logo to the Chief Minister and Rugby International Athletes Ms. Aarti Sinha and Mr. Gaurav Kumar presented the logo.

During the program, Rugby India President Mr. Rahul Bose praised Bihar's performance in rugby in recent times. Praising Chief Minister Mr. Nitish Kumar, he said that under your leadership Bihar has also made a lot of progress in the field of sports. Better infrastructure has been built here for the development of sports. Bihar is progressing in all areas.

Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Vijay Kumar Sinha, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Deepak Kumar, Chief Secretary Mr. Amrit Lal Meena, Development Commissioner Mr. Pratyay Amrit, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. S. Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary, Sports Department Dr. B. Rajender, Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Anupam Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Kumar Ravi, Director of Sports Department Mr. Mahendra Kumar, President of Rugby India Mr. Rahul Bose and other senior officers of the Sports Department were present in the program.