From 13th April to Major Sandeep Mahapatra Memorial MOSF AITA OTA Junior U16 SuperSeries Tennis Championship 2026.

Bhubaneswar: 28 March ( Pratyusha Bureau )The Major Sandeep Mahapatra Memorial Junior U16 Super Series Tennis Championship 2026will be held at Gurukul Resorts & Country Club, Bhubaneswar, under the banner of the OdishaTennis Association (OTA) from 13th to 17th April 2026. Major Sandeep Mahapatra was a valiant Indian Army officer and aprominent sports personality from Odisha. Alongside his distinguished military service, he wasalso a passionate tennis player who won several national Army tennis titles, earning recognitionboth as a soldier and a sportsman. His dedication to discipline, sportsmanship, and service to thenation continues to inspire young athletes.Tragically, Major Sandeep Mahapatra lost his life in a road accident on 3rd March 2013. In hishonour, the Major Sandeep Mahapatra Memorial Tennis Championship has been organised everyyear since 2014, keeping his legacy alive through sport and youth development.Over the years, the toumament has grown into a recognized tennis event in Odisha, previouslyheld as the Odisha Open at Bhubaneswar Club under the banner of KDTA and OTA, and inrecent years expanding into national-level AITA tournaments. This year, the organisers have takena special initiative to focus on junior development, hosting the AITA Junior U16 Super SeriesChampionship. The tournament has been forwarded by the Odisha Tennis Association andapproved by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) on 13th April 2026. The championship willfeature both Boys’ and Girls’ events in the Under-16 category, providing young athletes fromacross the country an opportunity to compete at a national level and eam AITA ranking points. Theorganisers are expecting a strong participation from junior players across India.By shifting the focus towards junior athletes, the tourmament aims to encourage more young playersto participate in competitive tennis and nurture the next generation of champions, reflectingMajor Sandeep Mahapatra’s spint of dedication, discipline, and excellence. The tournament will beplayed at Gurukul Resorts and Country Club, which has emerged as an important venue fornational-level tennis tournaments in Odisha. This championship continues to stand as a tribute to thelife, courage, and sporting spirit of Major Sandeep Mahapatra, whose legacy continues to inspireyoung athletes across the country.