Kumar Bahukhandi
Raipur: The inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, held in Chhattisgarh, brought together athletes from tribal communities across the country on a shared platform, where players of varying levels showcased their talent. For some, this marked their first experience participating in a multi-sport competition, while for others, it proved to be the next significant step in their burgeoning careers.
Thirty states and Union Territories participated in this inaugural edition, with approximately 3,800 athletes competing across nine sporting disciplines. A total of 106 gold medals were up for grabs in Archery, Athletics, Football, Hockey, Swimming, Weightlifting, and Wrestling, while traditional sports such as Mallakhamb and Kabaddi were included as demonstration sports.
As India prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and strengthens its bid to potentially host the 2036 Olympics, the Khelo India Tribal Games provided athletes from diverse tribal backgrounds with an opportunity to demonstrate their potential and bolster India’s bench strength across various sports. These games were hosted across three cities in Chhattisgarh: Raipur, Jagdalpur, and Ambikapur.
Presented here is a glimpse of some of the athletes who are already making an impact at the national and international levels, as well as others who have shown immense promise for future excellence.
Manikanta L (Swimmer)
Emerging as the most successful athlete of the Games, Manikanta L laid a strong foundation for Karnataka to become the overall champions by winning eight gold medals and one silver in the swimming competition. The 21-year-old Manikanta has previously won medals at the Khelo India University Games and is currently preparing to secure a spot in the Indian squad for the upcoming Asian Games; his participation in multiple events at these games was part of this rigorous preparation. Manikanta, a specialist in the 200m breaststroke, maintained his dominance throughout most of the race. He believes that his performance here will give him the confidence to prepare with even greater focus for the Asian Games qualifiers.
Anjali Munda (Swimmer)
15-year-old Anjali Munda from the Jajpur district of Odisha emerged as one of the brightest rising stars of the swimming competition. By winning a total of five gold medals across the 200m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke, 50m backstroke, and 4x100m medley events, she not only showcased her versatility but also demonstrated her ability to outpace competitors significantly older than herself.
A student of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Anjali was participating in her very first Khelo India Games; yet, despite the grand stage of the competition, she appeared completely unfazed by the pressure. She displays every sign of possessing the potential to shine on the international stage.
Komalika Bari (Archer)
Komalika Bari—the second Indian after Deepika Kumari to become both a World Cadet and World Youth Champion—is one of the leading contenders for a spot on the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games. She was in Pune preparing for selection trials, and considering the level of competition at the Khelo India Tribal Games, she felt that participating here would prove to be invaluable match practice for her.
And her decision proved to be the right one. Although she returned with gold medals in both the individual and mixed team recurve events, this archer from Jharkhand faced stiff competition in every single match. In the women’s team event, she had to settle for a silver medal after suffering a defeat against Nagaland in the final.
Kiran Pisda (Football)
Kiran Pisda, the captain of the Chhattisgarh women’s football team, led from the front; in the semi-finals, she played a pivotal role in securing the gold medal for her team by donning the goalkeeper’s gloves during the penalty shootout. Kiran not only finished as her team’s top scorer but also demonstrated—through her exceptional leadership of the young squad—how outstanding leadership can truly transform a team.
Kiran has already represented India in SAFF competitions and has also played in the Croatian League. The 24-year-old player is now aspiring to secure a regular spot in the Indian national team, given her versatility and ability to play in any position.
Babulal Hembram (Weightlifter)
Nineteen-year-old Babulal Hembram from Jharkhand became the first weightlifter from his state to win a gold medal at the 2024 Khelo India Youth Games. He is also the first international weightlifter from his state to have won medals at both the IWF World Youth Championships and the Asian Youth Championships.
A native of Keribanda village in the Ramgarh district, Babulal is now making the transition from the junior to the senior circuit and is currently training at the SAI National Camp in Patiala. The silver medal he won at the Khelo India Tribal Games has instilled in him the confidence to now challenge senior-level competitors.
Shiv Kumar Soren (Sprinter)
Jharkhand sprinter Shiv Kumar Soren effortlessly clinched gold medals in both the 100-meter and 200-meter events. He clocked a time of 10.58 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.51 seconds in the 200 meters. A trainee at the Centre of Excellence in Bokaro, Shiv possesses a robust physique and displays the potential to run even faster in the future.
Jhilli Dalabehera (Odisha)
Jhilli Dalabehera, one of Odisha’s most successful weightlifters, won a gold medal in the 45kg category at the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championships and a silver medal in the 49kg category at the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships. An employee of Indian Railways, Jhilli competed in the 53kg category at the Khelo India Tribal Games and clinched the gold medal.
Bhargavi Bhagora (Archer)
Gujarat’s 21-year-old Bhargavi Bhagora suffered a defeat against Komalika Bari in the Recurve Individual Final in Raipur; however, the spirited manner in which she gave a tough fight to her more experienced opponent right up to the very end will undoubtedly boost her confidence ahead of the selection trials for the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.
Hailing from the Aravalli district, Bhargavi has already won three medals across various editions of the Khelo India University Games and is currently training at the Nadiad High-Performance Centre, supported by the Sports Authority of India.
