Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) President Kapil Dev and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, jointly inaugurated the Nava Raipur Open 2026 at the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Nava Raipur. The ₹1 crore championship, running from 15 to 18 September, features 132 professionals — including 18 overseas golfers from 13 countries — competing on central India's first 18-hole golf course.

The Inauguration Ceremony

Chief Minister Sai and former India cricket captain Kapil Dev formally opened proceedings with a ceremonial tee-off and unveiled the tournament trophy. PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl was also present, as was a contingent of participating golfers who interacted with the dignitaries.

Sai underlined the strategic vision behind the event, saying, 'Nava Raipur has been planned as a city of opportunity, and sport must be part of that opportunity.' He further added that 'a national tournament of this scale will go a long way in promoting golf tourism in the state and encourage more young people from Chhattisgarh to view golf as a sport they can learn, pursue and excel in. It also allows us to introduce players and visitors to the state's cultural heritage, tribal art, natural landscapes and hospitality.'

Kapil Dev on Youth and Olympic Ambition

Drawing on his own experience as a former international captain, Kapil Dev emphasised the motivational impact such events have on aspiring young players. 'Golf is an Olympic sport, and young Indian players today have a clear international stage to aspire to. When children watch the country's leading professionals compete, they see how discipline, concentration and consistent effort can take them from junior golf to representing India at the Asian Games and the Olympics. Bringing DP World PGTI to Nava Raipur can help turn that interest into ambition,' he said.

His remarks come at a timely juncture — Indian golfer Veer Ahlawat, one of the tournament's prominent entrants, is also set to compete at the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, alongside Yuvraj Sandhu and Saptak Talwar.

The Field: Indian and International Contenders

The Indian contingent includes seasoned names such as Veer Ahlawat, Manu Gandas, Akshay Sharma, Honey Baisoya, Khalin Joshi, Rashid Khan, and Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow. The overseas roster spans Sri Lanka (N Thangaraja, Mithun Perera), Czech Republic (Stepan Danek), Thailand (Tanapat Pichaikool), Bangladesh (Jamal Hossain, Badal Hossain), Nepal (Subash Tamang), Uganda (Joshua Seale), USA (Koichiro Sato, Dominic Piccirillo), Japan (Taiga Tanaka), Ireland (Declan Kenny), and Canada (Sukhraj Singh Gill).

The Course: A Landmark for Central India

The Fairway Golf & Lake Resort course sits on the banks of the 450-acre Jhanjh Lake, enclosed by a nearly 500-acre forest. Designed by Australia's Pacific Coast Design and project-managed by SGDC, the par-69, 6,000-yard layout holds the distinction of being central India's first 18-hole golf course. PGTI CEO Johl called the venue a potential 'golfing capital of India,' noting that 'Nava Raipur has the infrastructure, hospitality and potential to emerge as a leading golfing destination.'

What This Means for the Region

This is the second PGTI event hosted in Nava Raipur within the same calendar year — a signal, according to organisers, of growing stakeholder confidence in the city's golfing ecosystem. The tournament aligns with Chhattisgarh's broader push to diversify tourism beyond its tribal heritage circuits and forest reserves. If the event gains traction, it could establish Nava Raipur as a recurring stop on the professional golf calendar, boosting hospitality and junior development programmes in the region.