Diu: Manipur clinched the overall championship title at the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games 2025, narrowly edging out Maharashtra and Nagaland after all three states secured five gold medals each.
Manipur topped the medal tally by virtue of winning more silver medals—six in total—compared to Maharashtra’s five and Nagaland’s three.
The performance marked a major milestone for Nagaland, which for the first time finished among the top three in any Khelo India event.
Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana shared fourth place, both bagging five golds along with one silver and three bronze medals each. Delhi followed in the standings with four golds, two silvers, and four bronze medals.
Hosts Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNHDD) impressed with four golds and five bronze medals, all of which came from pencak silat.
Despite equalling Delhi in gold count, DNHDD fell behind on silver medals, placing seventh overall.
A standout feature of the Games was the dominance of pencak silat, an Indonesian martial art that has gained popularity across India.
Of the 46 gold medals awarded during the event, 28 came from this single discipline. Several states, including Manipur, Nagaland, J&K, Maharashtra and DNHDD, earned the majority or entirety of their gold medals in pencak silat. For Jammu & Kashmir and DNHDD, all five and four gold medals respectively came from the sport.
For J&K, the final gold was delivered by heavyweight athlete Tawzeeh Khan, who claimed his first senior-level national gold medal in pencak silat, a breakthrough moment for both him and the contingent.
“This is my first gold medal at the senior level after narrowly missing out twice before. I’ve received so much support since last night—everyone is thrilled. This medal proves that with dedication, great things are possible,” said Khan.
The final day of competition also brought thrilling action in team events such as beach volleyball, sepak takraw, and beach soccer.
Tamil Nadu dominated the volleyball events, taking home both the men’s and women’s gold medals.
In sepak takraw, Nagaland’s women made history by winning the quad regu event with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Haryana.
“It was a dramatic final and luck favoured us. This team will now prepare for national selection,” said Kethosituo Sekhose, Chef de Mission of Nagaland. Delhi emerged victorious in the men’s quad regu final, defeating Manipur 2-1, while Odisha and Bihar shared bronze.
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Kerala’s men’s beach soccer team overwhelmed Goa with a 12-4 win in the final, powered by a four-goal performance from Muhseer Tkb and three goals from Rohith Yesudas.
Odisha’s women clinched their first gold of the tournament in a nail-biting 3-2 win over Gujarat, with captain Jasoda Munda scoring twice.
“It’s a proud moment for us. We held our ground in a very close match,” said Munda.
The inaugural Khelo India Beach Games concluded with spirited performances across disciplines, showcasing emerging talent from across the country and opening new sporting horizons for several states, including Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir.
