First Edition in Chhattisgarh Highlights Emerging Tribal Talent Across Multiple Disciplines
Published on: April 07, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Raipur, India
The inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, hosted in Chhattisgarh, brought together tribal athletes from across India on a unified sporting platform, highlighting both emerging talents and established performers. For many participants, the multi-sport event marked their first exposure to high-level competition, while for others it became an important stepping stone in their evolving sporting careers.
Nationwide Participation Strengthens Grassroots Sports
The opening edition witnessed participation from 30 States and Union Territories, with nearly 3,800 athletes competing across nine sporting disciplines. A total of 106 gold medals were contested in archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling, while traditional sports such as Mallakhamb and Kabaddi were included as demonstration events.
As India prepares for potential hosting opportunities such as the 2030 Commonwealth Games and strengthens its bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, the Khelo India Tribal Games offered athletes from diverse tribal backgrounds a valuable opportunity to showcase their abilities and reinforce India’s sporting bench strength.
The competitions were organised across three Chhattisgarh cities — Raipur, Jagdalpur and Ambikapur.
Emerging and Established Stars Take Centre Stage
The Games highlighted several athletes already making national and international impact, alongside promising youngsters who demonstrated strong potential for future success.
Manikanta L (Swimming)
One of the most successful athletes of the Games, Manikanta L dominated the swimming competition by winning eight gold medals and one silver, laying the foundation for Karnataka’s overall championship triumph.
The 21-year-old swimmer, previously a medalist at the Khelo India University Games, is currently preparing to secure a place in India’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games. A specialist in the 200-metre breaststroke, Manikanta maintained supremacy across multiple events and believes his performance has strengthened his confidence ahead of Asian Games qualification.
Anjali Munda (Swimming)
Fifteen-year-old Anjali Munda from Jajpur district in Odisha emerged as one of the brightest young stars of the competition. She secured five gold medals across the 200m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke, 50m backstroke and 4×100 medley relay events.
A student of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Anjali competed in her first Khelo India Games but displayed remarkable composure on the big stage, outperforming older competitors and demonstrating strong international potential.
Komalika Bari (Archery)
World Cadet and World Youth Champion Komalika Bari, the second Indian after Deepika Kumari to achieve the feat, used the Games as valuable match practice while preparing for Indian team selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games.
Her decision proved fruitful as the Jharkhand archer won gold medals in individual and mixed team recurve events, though she faced stiff competition throughout. She settled for silver in the women’s team event after a narrow final loss to Nagaland.
Kiran Pisda (Football)
Captain of the Chhattisgarh women’s football team, Kiran Pisda, led from the front and played a decisive role in securing the gold medal. During the semifinal penalty shootout, she donned the goalkeeper’s gloves and guided her team to victory.
Already a representative of India in SAFF competitions and a former player in the Croatian league, the 24-year-old demonstrated exceptional leadership and versatility, strengthening her case for a regular place in the national squad.
Babulal Hembram (Weightlifting)
Nineteen-year-old Babulal Hembram from Jharkhand, the state’s first gold medalist in weightlifting at the 2024 Khelo India Youth Games, continued his upward trajectory. He has already won medals at the IWF World Youth Championship and Asian Youth Championship.
Currently training at the National Camp in Patiala, Hembram’s silver medal performance at the Tribal Games has boosted his confidence as he transitions from the junior to senior competitive circuit.
Shiv Kumar Soren (Sprint)
Sprinter Shiv Kumar Soren from Jharkhand dominated athletics by winning gold medals in both the 100m and 200m races, clocking 10.58 seconds and 21.51 seconds respectively. Training at the Bokaro Centre of Excellence, Soren’s strong physique and speed indicate significant future potential.
Jhilli Dalabehera (Weightlifting)
Among Odisha’s most accomplished weightlifters, Jhilli Dalabehera added another achievement by winning gold in the 53kg category at the Games. She previously secured gold at the 2020 Asian Weightlifting Championship (45kg category) and silver at the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship (49kg category). Currently employed with Indian Railways, she continues to remain a major force in Indian weightlifting.
Bhargavi Bhogora (Archery)
Twenty-one-year-old Bhargavi Bhogora from Gujarat finished runner-up to Komalika Bari in the recurve individual final. Despite the loss, her strong challenge against a more experienced opponent provided valuable confidence ahead of Indian selection trials for the Asian Games in Japan.
Hailing from Aravalli district, Bhargavi has already won three medals at different editions of the Khelo India University Games and is presently training at the Sports Authority of India-supported Nadiad High Performance Centre.
A Strong Foundation for Women-Led and Tribal Sporting Excellence
The Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 successfully demonstrated the immense sporting potential emerging from India’s tribal communities. Beyond medals, the event highlighted a robust talent pipeline capable of strengthening India’s future presence at international sporting arenas.
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