Central Railway wins 91st All Railway Athletics Championship in Kolkata
Synopsis
Central Railway topped the podium at the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship in Kolkata, beating out 24 zonal teams including Southern Railway. With Arjuna Awardees, Olympians, and a Dronacharya Awardee in attendance, the event highlighted how Indian Railways remains one of the country's most active institutional patrons of athletics.
Key Takeaways
Central Railway won the overall Championship Trophy at the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship on 13 September 2026 .
Southern Railway was the runner-up overall; Northern Railway finished second in the men's team category.
South Western Railway Women's Team won the Women's Championship Cup.
Eastern Railway's Lili Das won two gold medals; Moumita Mandal and Khyati Mathur won one gold each for the host zone.
Bhagavadi Bhavani (Southern Railway) was named Best Female Athlete; David (Southern Railway) Best Male Athlete.
The tournament featured 24 teams and was organised at the SAI Stadium, Salt Lake, Kolkata by Eastern Railway for the second consecutive year.
Central Railway clinched the overall Championship Trophy at the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship, held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Stadium in Salt Lake, Kolkata, concluding on Sunday, 13 September 2026. Southern Railway finished as runner-up in the prestigious inter-zonal meet organised by the Railway Sports Promotion Board and the Eastern Railway Sports Association (ERSA).
Key Results and Category Winners
In the men's team category, Central Railway took the top honours, with Northern Railway finishing as runners-up. The South Western Railway Women's Team claimed the Women's Championship Cup, while Southern Railway secured the runners-up spot in the women's category.
The host zone, Eastern Railway, earned four gold medals overall. Sprinter Lili Das contributed two of those golds, with Moumita Mandal and Khyati Mathur winning one each. Bhagavadi Bhavani of Southern Railway was adjudged the Best Female Athlete, while David, also from Southern Railway, received the Best Male Athlete award.
Scale and Participation
According to a senior Eastern Railway official, the championship drew participation from 24 teams representing different zonal railways, production units, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF). The contingent included athletes, coaches, and team managers, many of whom compete at national and international levels.
The tournament was inaugurated on 11 September 2026 by Eastern Railway General Manager Gitika Pandey, who also presided over the closing ceremony and distributed prizes to winners and participants.
Decorated Athletes in Attendance
The championship drew several celebrated Indian sports figures. Among those present were Arjuna Awardees Joseph Abraham, Jitendra Kumar, J J Shobha, Pappu Yadav, Soma Biswas, and Saraswati Saha. Padma Shri recipient L Bombayla Devi, Dronacharya Awardee Mohammad Ali Qamar, and Olympians Sanjay Ray and Bhawana Jat were also in attendance, underlining the event's stature within India's athletic ecosystem.
Eastern Railway's Role in Sports Promotion
This was the second consecutive year that Eastern Railway hosted the national-level meet. ER CPRO Shibram Majhi, who also serves as an office-bearer of the ERSA, noted that the zone has been at the forefront of nurturing young athletic talent. Indian Railways as an institution scouts and develops sportspersons, offering employment through the sports quota to medal winners at national and international competitions — a pipeline that has produced participants at events including the Asian Games and the Olympics.
General Manager Pandey congratulated all winners and encouraged participants to aim for greater achievements in future championships. The event underscores Indian Railways' sustained investment in grassroots sports development across the country.
Point of View
Yet it quietly functions as one of India's largest institutional athletics ecosystems — a feeder for Asian Games and Olympic squads. Central Railway's back-to-back dominance in the men's category deserves scrutiny: does it reflect genuine depth, or a concentration of talent drawn by better sports-quota employment terms? The presence of Arjuna Awardees and Olympians at a zonal track meet also signals something important — for many of India's elite athletes, railway employment remains the most reliable safety net that sport offers, a fact that broader sports-policy conversation tends to overlook.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship 2026?
Central Railway won the overall Championship Trophy at the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship held at SAI Stadium, Salt Lake, Kolkata on 13 September 2026. Southern Railway finished as runner-up.
Where was the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship held?
The championship was held at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Stadium in Salt Lake, Kolkata. It ran from 11 to 13 September 2026 and was organised by the Railway Sports Promotion Board and the Eastern Railway Sports Association.
Who were the Best Male and Best Female Athletes at the 2026 Railway Athletics Championship?
Bhagavadi Bhavani of Southern Railway was adjudged the Best Female Athlete, while David, also from Southern Railway, was named the Best Male Athlete of the tournament.
Which team won the Women's Championship Cup?
The South Western Railway Women's Team won the Women's Championship Cup. Southern Railway was the runner-up in the women's category.
How many teams participated in the 91st All Railway Athletics Championship?
Twenty-four teams from different zonal railways, production units, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) participated. The contingent included national- and international-level athletes, coaches, and team managers.
