Raipur, March 29: The Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 kicked off in Ambikapur, where wrestlers from Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh each secured two gold medals on the first day of competition. Mizoram also made headlines by winning two golds in the weightlifting event on the fifth day of the games held in Raipur.
Poonam Uraw won the women’s 50-kilogram final, defeating Telangana’s Geeta 6-3, marking Jharkhand’s first gold medal. Anjit Kumar Munda followed suit, clinching gold in the men’s 67-kilogram Greco-Roman final by defeating Gujarat’s Mukesh Vasava through technical superiority.
Himachal Pradesh’s gold medals came from Navsh Kumar in the 97-kilogram category and Priyanka Chaudhary in the women’s 62-kilogram category. Mizoram increased its gold medal tally to four, thanks to Josangzuali in the women’s 86+ kilogram category and David Johingmawia in the men’s 110+ kilogram category. This performance propelled Mizoram to fifth place in the overall medal standings.
Karnataka leads the overall standings with 15 gold, six silver, and four bronze medals, followed by Odisha with nine gold, four silver, and ten bronze medals. Host Chhattisgarh, which secured a silver (Rishika Kashyap) and a bronze (Lucky Babu Markam) in weightlifting, slipped to ninth place.
Weightlifter Sambo Lapung helped Arunachal Pradesh rise to third place by winning the gold medal in the men’s 100-kilogram category with a total lift of 299 kilograms. Mizoram’s David Lal Jomdika secured second place with 270 kilograms, while Chhattisgarh’s Lucky Babu took bronze with a total of 261 kilograms.
Maharashtra also strengthened its position in the medal tally. Weightlifter Sakshi Burkule delivered an outstanding performance in the women’s 86-kilogram category, earning the state its second gold medal with a total lift of 150 kilograms, surpassing Chhattisgarh’s Rishika Kashyap by 29 kilograms. Sakshi led the competition with minimal challenges, while Rishika also performed admirably to secure a podium finish.
Wrestler Vinod Salkar added another gold medal to Maharashtra’s tally by winning the men’s 125-kilogram freestyle event.
Jammu and Kashmir also opened its account on Sunday, winning one gold and one silver medal in wrestling. Munir Hussain triumphed in the men’s 74-kilogram freestyle category, defeating Maharashtra’s Vikram Pawar 11-1 based on technical superiority, while Shama Hoon lost to Himachal Pradesh’s Navsh Kumar in the 97-kilogram Greco-Roman final.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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