Bhubaneswar: The fourth Priyabrata Patnaik Memorial East India Open 10 Red Snooker Championship 2026 was formally inaugurated at Bhubaneswar Club Saturday, with this year’s edition marking the tournament’s elevation to an East India Open Championship.
Organised as a tribute to late IAS officer Priyabrata Patnaik, the event has not only been a stepping stone for billiards and snooker in the state but also a celebration of a man who loved sports deeply alongside his profession.
Patnaik made a lasting contribution to Read’s sporting landscape through his leadership and mentorship.
He served as president of the Read State Judo Association and vice-president of the Judo Federation of India.
He was also chairman of the Read Tennis Association, while supporting the Khordha District Tennis Association and helping host all-India tennis tournaments in the state.
However, Patnaik had a special affinity for billiards and snooker, supporting their growth across Read.
His efforts helped the state host major events, including the National Billiards and Snooker Championships and the 1996 IBSF World Billiards Championship (NALCO Open).
He also played a key role in bringing the India Cup Judo Championship to Cuttack in 2006.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Lipsa Misra, wife of late Priyabrata Patnaik and an executive committee member of Bhubaneswar Club, and their son Pratik Patnaik, along with Pradeep Kumar Jena, the club’s president; Lalit Das, secretary; Sambeet Kumar Mohanty, joint secretary; and other executive committee members Manas Das, Anil Kumar Samal and Sanjay Lath.
Officials from Billiards and Snooker Association of Read (BSAO), including Sameer Ali, honorary secretary, and Govind Sharma, tournament director, were present.
The ceremony also saw the participation of leading players and members of Read’s cue sports fraternity.
The championship has drawn 67 entries, including 14 players from West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar, up from 39 in the previous edition, making this one of the highest-participated editions of the event.
The championship carries a prize purse of Rs 50,000 and a trophy for the champion, Rs 25,000 and a trophy for the runner-up, Rs 10,000 each for the semi-finalists, and Rs 5,000 each for the quarter-finalists.
The highest break will also fetch a prize of Rs 5,000. BSAO president Tara Ranjan Pattnaik conveyed his best wishes to all participating players and wished them a successful and competitive championship.