ITS Rector Ir. Bambang Pramujati, ST, MScEng, PhD delivering the opening remarks for the 21st ASEAN University Games handball event.

ITS Campus, ITS News — As the host for the men’s indoor handball event at the 21st ASEAN University Games (AUG), Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) held a Welcome Party for the participants on Wednesday night (June 26). The event, which took place at the Swiss-Belinn Manyar Hotel in Surabaya, also served as the official opening of the 21st AUG men’s indoor handball competition at ITS.

ITS Rector Ir. Bambang Pramujati, ST, MScEng, PhD expressed that ITS is very pleased to welcome the handball athletes participating in AUG. He also expressed his gratitude to the government and the Indonesian Handball Association (ABTI) for giving ITS the opportunity to host this prestigious competition. Moreover, this is the first time that handball is being competed in AUG.

Athletes from Indonesia attending the opening ceremony of the 21st ASEAN University Games handball event solemnly sing the national anthem, “Indonesia Raya.”

According to Bambang, the four-day tournament at the ITS campus is not just a competition. Rather, it serves as a means to strengthen friendships, facilitate cultural exchange, and enhance unity among universities within the ASEAN region.

Therefore, Prof Bambang also invited participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore to enjoy the beauty of Surabaya. “Don’t forget to take some time to explore Surabaya, and you can also visit Mount Bromo to see the sunrise,” he encouraged.

ITS Rector Ir. Bambang Pramujati, ST, MScEng, PhD (sixth from the left) with vice rectors, ABTI representatives, and handball athlete representatives from each participating country.

As the host, Bambang stated that ITS is committed to organizing the tournament well. This includes renovating the Pertamina Sports Hall (GOR) at ITS, the venue for the matches, to meet international handball standards. “We must do our best because we are representing not just ITS, but also Surabaya and Indonesia,” he reminded the committee.

On the other hand, the ITS Mechanical Engineering Department lecturer also hopes that this opportunity to host the event will mark the beginning of the development of handball at ITS. “By watching the matches firsthand, it has the potential to spark student interest in handball,” said Bambang.

Presentation of an appreciation plaque from the General Chairman of ABTI, Zulfydar Zaidar Mochtar (left), to ITS Rector Ir. Bambang Pramujati, ST, MScEng, PhD (second from the right).

Furthermore, he also revealed plans for handball to eventually become one of the Student Activity Units (UKM) at ITS. “I hope that ITS will be able to produce great handball athletes who can join ABTI,” he expressed. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Muhammad Fadhil Alfaruqi