Former champion edges past rival to secure snooker crown
Former state titleholder Aakash Mohapatra held his ground during an intense final frame to win the second GK All Odisha 6-Red Open Snooker Championship 2026. He defeated defending champion Asutosh Padhy with a final score of 6-5 on September 20 at Golden Q Snooker Kafe in Cuttack. Both players pushed the summit clash to its absolute limit by trading frames in a grueling 11-frame tactical masterclass. Snooker holds a rich sporting legacy in Odisha, and regional tournaments consistently showcase highly skilled players who go on to compete at the national level.
Intense championship final
Mohapatra successfully sealed the championship frame to secure the winner’s purse of ₹25,000, along with a gold medal and certificate of merit. Padhy finished as the runner-up and earned ₹12,000, a silver medal, and a certificate. He also secured the highest break prize of ₹5,000 for achieving a tournament-best break of 54. Emerging local talent Aryan Pradhan earned recognition as the most promising player of the tournament, taking home ₹3,000 and a shiny trophy.
Subrat Das and Rumit Gupta reached the semi-finals, earning ₹5,000 each along with bronze medals. Quarter-finalists Siddharth Sen, Dr. Rakesh Roshan Pradhan, Anuj Kumar Panda, and Chetan Anand received ₹2,500 each for their strong efforts. The week-long sporting event ended with a beautiful closing ceremony hosted by Gyana Ranjan Behera, Director of GK Group of Companies.
Tournament organizers felicitated multiple sponsors who backed the popular competition. Supporters included title sponsor Focal Café under Fateh Singh, powered by partner Urban Oasis Banquets and Lawns, and co-powered by partner SBI Life. Other contributing partners included Meeram Health Care, ODI Services, RAW Shirts, Room on Wheels, and Poddar Tyres.
