Bhubhaneswar Is All Set To Host The National Division 1 15 s Rugby Tournament

The tournament will be held from 29th January to 4th February 2023

National Rugby Federation is going to host the National Division 1 15’s Rugby Tournament from 29th January to 4th February 2023 at city of Bhubhaneshwar. The tournament shall feature the Top 8 Women’s Rugby Teams from across India. Also, CC&FC from Kolkata shall be playing in the tournament which is currently ranked 4th in India in Division 1.

It is Led by the redoubtable Priyanka Choudhury, who at the age of 36 years and is playing the sport for the past 7 years, she said, “ I am keen to popularise lesser known sports like Rugby, Swimming, Equestrian among girls and despite all odds and obstacles I am trying my best and working day and night for the interest of Bengal and its sportsmen/women.

It has been a tough fight having to cater to the demands of being a hands-on mother and supporting the game of rugby. Breaking away from the stereotype of motherhood, Priyanka showed the way by handling the role of being a mother and a Rugby player and excelled in both. She said, “ I am ready to fight the battle to establish the sport in the mainstream and have set up a committee through social media platforms. I have overcome every possible obstacle and endured hardship but it was my love and dedication for the game of Rugby that saw me overcome a serious leg injury that had not only kept me out of the game for a prolonged period but also mentally completely demoralized me," she added.  

She further said, "My mental strength was a key factor in my comeback on the Rugby grounds. But this return was not only for me but also for future generations of Rugby players. In this patriarchal society, most of the time a woman’s desires, dreams, and ambitions are suppressed and I had to break the barrier I had to take forward this battle to empower women and my battlefield was the Rugby ground." 

The British established the Calcutta Cricket Club in 1792 and after Independence, it was rechristened as Calcutta Cricket & Football Club ( CC &FC). The club actively promotes several sports as Rugby, Hockey, Swimming, and Tennis among the future generation and Priyanka is a torchbearer of this initiative which will be reflected in all its splendour and glory at the forthcoming Bhubaneswar Nationals beginning 29th January.