Golden jubilee edition of SJFI’s national convention begins

The golden jubilee edition of the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) national convention began here on Friday, bringing the gathering back to the national capital after more than two decades.

Hosted by the Delhi Sports Journalists Association (DSJA), the four-day event opened at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the presence of Raksha Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, and Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, along with senior members of the sports media fraternity.

The ceremony included the unveiling of the J.K. Bose Inter-Zonal T20 Cricket Trophy and the A.C. Bali Table Tennis Trophy, which will run alongside the convention’s discussions and networking activities. The draw for the T20 tournament pitted South Zone against East Zone and West against North.

Raksha emphasised the role of sports journalists in strengthening India’s sporting culture. “Through your work, you are giving new energy to sports. The way you cover sports helps people understand how they can move forward and how young people can be encouraged to participate,” she said.

DSJA president Abhishek Tripathi highlighted the effort behind bringing the convention back to Delhi after 23 years. “When we were asked to convene the SJFI convention in Delhi, we kept thinking how to do it after 23 years. The support from the Sports Ministry helped us overcome many obstacles and move forward,” he said.