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Time of India
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Fishermen from tamil nadu win silver at khelo india beach games
They received no formal coaching, but Robin Ravi and S Bharat, members of Tamil Nadu 's fishing community who smashed their way to a silver at the Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2025 last week in Diu, say they got the hang of beach volleyball because "playing on the sand is second nature" to them. "We live on the beach. Walking, working, and playing on the sand is life," says 23-year-old Bharath, who hails from Palavakkam. "We also represented India at international events such as the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Continental Cup in Bangladesh in 2023, winning bronze," says Ravi of Mayiladuthurai. "Our wins have kindled a passion for the sport among young boys and girls from the fishing hamlets." The fishing community has a natural advantage, says A J Martin Sudhakar, veteran volleyball coach and administrator who was also the competition manager for the sport at KIBG 2025. "The community has given us some of the strongest players in the game. Their lifestyle of pulling fishing nets, walking on shifting sand, and constant exposure to the sun builds stamina, balance, and strength needed for beach volleyball. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like O brinde do momento Balinhas Personalizadas Compre já Undo Their lower bodies are already conditioned for the uneven terrain. That's why they excel." Bharat and Robin say the biggest deterrent for them is a lack of funds to train and travel for tournaments. "We were selected in the first round of the Asian Games last year, but because we couldn't afford tickets to attend the second round, we lost the opportunity to take part in the Olympics. Our coach, though, is helping us now," says Bharath, whose father is a plumber. He adds that he and Robin are pursuing a master's degree in hopes of finding a govt job. "If these players get govt jobs, more youngsters from the community will take up the sport professionally." Email your feedback with name and address to
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Khelo India Beach Games 2025: How Tamil Nadu's fisherman community is fuelling India's beach volleyball growth
Diu [India], May 26 (ANI): Volleyball powerhouse Tamil Nadu became champions in both men's and women's categories at the Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2025 in Diu. The South Indian state's dominance in this sport is a routine affair; however, one story stood out from the sand courts--the rise of beach volleyball players from the state's fishing hamlets. Two athletes in particular, Robin Ravi, 23, and Bharat Somu, 22, have emerged from the Palavakkam coastal community to represent India at international events like the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Continental Cup finals in Bangladesh in 2023, winning bronze. On Friday, the duo also won the silver medal in the men's volleyball tournament at the inaugural KIBG. 'We live on the beach. It's our life. Walking, working, and playing on the sand is second nature to us,' Robin and Bharat said unanimously. Their journey, like many others in the fisherman community, began by watching seniors play volleyball in nearby makeshift courts. Both players started young - Robin at 10 and Bharat at 15. With no formal coaching in the beginning, they learned through observation and passion. 'They have been practising on a ground within their own hamlet in Palavakkam. Their dream is to represent India at the Olympics,' said A J Martin Sudhakar, veteran volleyball coach and administrator, who was also the competition manager for the sport at KIBG 2025. Sudhakar was the coach of Pradeep John and Mohan Poothathan, who gave India a ninth-place finish in Volleyball at the 2006 Asian Games. This was Indian volleyball's best-ever finish at the continental event. The fishermen's community has a natural advantage, he said. 'The fisherman community has given us some of the strongest and most resilient players in the game. Their lifestyle--pulling fishing nets, walking on shifting sand, constant exposure to sun--builds the perfect stamina, balance, and strength needed for beach volleyball,' Sudhakar told SAI Media. 'That is why they adapt to beach volleyball faster than most. Their lower bodies are already conditioned for the uneven terrain. Endurance and adaptability to sand are critical. Acclimatisation is part of the game. Fisherman boys adapt faster because they live in this weather. That's a major reason why they excel.' Bharat and Robin are both unemployed despite their international medals. 'Their families are not rich. Their fathers are fishermen and plumbers. But their biggest support has been the freedom to pursue the sport even without jobs. This however can't go on forever,' Sudhakar said. 'If they get government jobs, at least 100-150 more youngsters from the community will take up the sport seriously. 'We are organising a 10-day camp in Chennai from next month, specifically for the fisherman community. These efforts will scale our presence in national and international circuits,' he added. 'The community is very tight-knit. If one succeeds, everyone follows. It's not just volleyball. They play beach football, kabaddi, and even cricket.' Beach volleyball was introduced in the Khelo India platform for the first time this year. 'This is one of the best spectator sports. It can be developed quickly. It's time we support it fully,' Sudhakar, who has been an executive member of the Asian Volleyball Confederation's Beach Council for 12 years, said. Speaking of Tamil Nadu's continuous dominance in indoor or beach volleyball, Sudhakar added, 'We have courts even in schools. Districts like Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai have produced excellent players. 'Other coastal states should also replicate this. European countries are creating artificial sand courts in towns. We don't even need that. We have natural beaches. Just put one foot of sand and start,' Sudhakar, also the General Secretary of Tamil Nadu State Volleyball Association, said. At the Khelo India Beach Games 2025, Jammu & Kashmir and Chhattisgarh reached the quarters, before Tamil Nadu, Kerala Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh took over as semi-finalists. 'Jammu & Kashmir players from the police unit came just one day before the match, with no sand court back home. Still, they reached the quarterfinals. That's self-motivation,' continued model from Tamil Nadu is replicable for North Indian states too, he said. It starts with identifying the right environments, investing in basic infrastructure, encouraging youth through schools and universities, and giving financial security to top performers. 'The northern states can start small. You don't need a beach. Just get sand, mark a court, and begin. The Federation must send coaches, hold clinics, and engage with state sports departments. That's the way forward,' he added. Sudhakar believes a national roadmap can change this. 'Conduct seminars, train local coaches, and assign them to regional academies. Bring foreign experts from Brazil, the USA, or Europe for three-month stints. That's how the sport will rise. We don't need snow-covered indoor sand courts like Europe. We have natural beaches--let's use them wisely,' he said. 'The easiest way to grow in global volleyball is through beach volleyball. And this is the best time. We also need to employ these players and give them a future. That's how you build a sports ecosystem,' A J Martin Sudhakar concluded. (ANI)
Mint
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Khelo India Beach Games 2025: Unique mallakhamb academy in remote Bastar, its superstar coach & athlete
Mallakhamb is one of the oldest traditional sports in India and it is alive and kicking in the heart of Chhattisgarh's Bastar district. If there is a classic case study to establish the transformative power of sports and its social impact, here's the story of Manoj Kumar and his protege Rakesh Kumar Varda. Manoj Prasad is a living example of how sports can bring about social change in troubled Naxal-infested regions of central India. Prasad, an STF (Special Task Force) officer, runs the Abujhmad Mallakhamb Academy in Narayanpur. Uniquely, chirldren from tribal communities are enrolled here and Prasad is like a father figure to them. He takes care of all expenses from accommodation to meals and equipment for training. Rakesh, one Prasad's wards, excelled in mallakhamb, a non-medal sport at the first Khelo India Beach Games underway here. At KIBG, 10 trainees of Prasad's Abujhmad Mallakhamb Academy, which was established in 2017, took part. For most of them from economically and socially marginalized backgrounds, Diu has been a window to the world. Fifteen-year-old Rakesh has been outstanding at KIBG. He had the credentials to do well and he did not fail. Rakesh won a gold medal at the Khelo India Beach Games. Since mallakhamb is a demonstration sport, this medal did not count in the overall tally but it was an endorsement of an athlete's excellence in a particular sport. Rakesh hails from the tribal village of Kutul in the Abujhmad region of Narayanpur district. He is a member of the tribal community and is the only youngster from his area to play mallakhamb. Rakesh has won over 30 medals at national and state-level competitions. Recently, Rakesh won four medals (one silver and three bronze) at the Khelo India Youth Games held in Bihar. Rakesh began practicing Mallakhamb at the age of eight. Credit for introducing him to the sport solely goes to his coach, Manoj Prasad. Rakesh's achievemnets speak volumes. In 2022, he set a Limca Book of Records entry for the longest handstand (1 minute and 6 seconds) on a Mallakhamb pole at the All India Handstand Championship. In 2023, he and his team from the Abujhmad Mallakhamb Academy won India's Got Talent Season 10. Rakesh has also won a bronze at the Khelo India Youth Games in Panchkula, a bronze at the National Games in Gujarat, a gold, silver, and two bronze medals at the Khelo India Youth Games in Ujjain and a bronze at the National Games in Goa. Rakesh has faced personal tragedy too. Just two days after returning from the Gujarat National Games, his mother passed away. However, due to lack of communication in his remote village , he received the news only after two days. Speaking to SAI Media, Rakesh said, 'My goal is to work towards the development of my region and to pass on the culture of my ancestors to future generations.' But all credit to Manoj Prasad for remaining a strong force in a sport that does not make mainstream news. 'Fulfilling the daily needs of 25 children is not an easy task but seeing the results, senior police and administrative officials living in my area have started helping wholeheartedly for some time now. Along with this, many local people have also come forward to help them. In this, the secretary of Chhattisgarh Malkhamb Sangh, Rajkumar Sharma, has a special contribution and is always willing to help us,' Prasad told SAI Media. 'I bring tribal children between 5-15 years from different areas and take care of their education and sports needs at the academy. These children come from completely illiterate families with no source of income. I want to help them enter the mainstream on the basis of their abilities so they can secure jobs and lead better lives. I'm all they have,' Prasad, a former national level sprinter, said on an emotional note. Prasad concluded by saying, 'The Khelo India Beach Games is a great initiative. I was happy to see Mallakhamb included in it. Now that the Government of India has announced the organization of Tribal Games, we are very excited. Bringing tribal communities into the mainstream is essential if India is to become a global power—and I believe it can be done through the transformative power of sports.'
Mint
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Khelo India Beach Games 2025: Open water swimming makes debut, brings back memories of nation's storied legacy
Open water swimming emerged as one of the most interesting sporting acts at the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2025 in Ghoghla Beach, Diu. Young swimmers braved jellyfish stings and strong tides with determination before emerging out of the pristine Arabian Sea and sprinting towards the finish line. Maharashtra and Karnataka swimmers dominated the sea in the 5km and 10km events at the KIBG, offering further hope that India's long coastline offers the perfect natural environment to groom open water swimmers. 'Maharashtra as well as beaches in Goa are safe. Karnataka, Kerala, and parts of Gujarat are also good. Bengal also has places like the Ganga jetty to practice sea swimming,' mentioned Rahul Chiplonkar, KIBG Competition Manager for Sea Swimming. Sea swimming has a storied legacy in the country. Pioneers like Mihir Sen, who became the first Asian to swim across the English Channel in 1958, and later Arati Saha, Taranath Shenoy, Rohan More and more, brought global attention to India's capabilities in endurance swimming. 'Maharashtra is the most prominent state—it has a 40-year legacy in sea swimming. Then Karnataka and Kerala follow, due to their coastal geography. West Bengal also has a strong legacy. We've had legends like Mihir Sen and Bula Chowdhury, who were the first to cross the English Channel. Bula Chowdhury is still active—she swam in Mumbai last year,' added Chiplonkar, who made open water swimming an integral part of his life since 2005. Crossing the English Channel is one of the prime targets open water swimmers have. KIBG medallist from West Bengal, Pratyay Bhattacharya, wants to cross it too but with a new intent. 'I want to become the fastest Indian to cross the English Channel next year, if I get sponsors,' said the 25-year-old, who won silver at the 10km event in Diu. 'People swim for 11-12 hours to cross the English Channel, but that won't make me happy. I want to target below nine and possibly stay close to the 8-hour 15 minute-mark,' Bhattacharya told SAI Media. Bhattacharya, who started off open water training 10 years back at SAI Kolkata and later moved to SAI Tripura under coach Biswajit Dey Chowdhury, has competed at the Asian Championships in 2019 and 2022, making a 10th finish in both editions. 'In Uzbekistan in 2022, I was the only Asian in the entire subcontinent to finish under time limit. And I stood 10th,' continued Bhattacharya, who tried making a record in 2024 swimming the Palk Strait, from Sri Lanka to India. 'I was at a record pace. Unfortunately, there were two relay teams who started along with me and one person died in the sea from stroke. So, the full expedition was cancelled. I was pulled up 7-8 hours before, and thus I couldn't make the record,' the 25-year-old said. Pratyay Bhattacharya, however, has already triumphed the world's longest open water competition for two-straight years – a stretch of 81kms – from Ahiran Ghat of the Bhagirathi River in Jangipur, Murshidabad to Gorabazar Ghat in Berhampur. 'This is an international event organised by the Murshidabad District Swimming Association, in association with Swimming Federation of India. I participated twice in 2023 and 2024 and became the champion both times, beating swimmers from Spain as well,' he said. Open water swimming does bring up attractive records but the practical challenges are enormous and unpredictable. 'The weather and natural conditions plays a major role in open sea water swimming and the water and currents within the sea are completely different. The swimmers have to get a proper hang of low tide and the high tide,' said Neha Sapte, who swam a 33 km stretch from Dharamtar Jetty to the Gateway of India at the age of nine in 2001. However, taking challenges head-on is something that has always intrigued Indians. 'In the sea, there are tides, saltiness, dehydration risk, marine life like jellyfish, low visibility and muscle injuries. Safety is also a major concern when catering to 40 or 100 swimmers. But the youth of India is ready to take that challenge head-on. That's the great part,' added Chiplonkar. 'Definitely it's an adventure sport and we are dealing with the sea, so there is a lot of risk that we have to take care of. Youngsters today love to take challenges, come out of their fears, and explore new things.' The future, as per him, looks promising. 'Open water swimming is a budding sport in India as well as a competitive sport. 5km and 10km are Olympic distances, but it has a huge adventure element too,' said Chiplonkar, who swam from Mumbai to Mangalore – distance of 1031 kilometres in 13 days, in 2016. In the first edition of the modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, the swimming competition was held in open water. In 2000, the Olympic Games first included a triathlon with a 1500 m swim leg, and in 2008, a 10 km open water swim. Open water swimming has now been included in the Olympic Games since 2008. With the sport now being recognised in Khelo India Beach Games, Neha Sapte, also the team manager of Maharashtra swimming team at KIBG 2025, sounds hopeful. 'The government's effort to include open sea swimming in national events is a huge boost. It adds legitimacy to what was once considered just a passion sport,' Neha told SAI Media. "Open water sea swimming may not yet be mainstream," she added, "but it is exactly the kind of sport that builds courage, resilience, and national pride—one stroke at a time."
Mint
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Khelo India Beach Games 2025 in Diu becomes an anti-doping awareness centre, hundreds of athletes set to benefit
The National Anti-Doping Agency in India (NADA) is doing its work to good effect. The 2025 Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) are underway in Diu since May 19, and Dr Usha Subhash Nikumbh, who is the Lead Dope Control Officer (LDCO) at NADA, is spreading the anti-doing message at the scenic Ghoghla Beach, the venue for the Beach Games, with the help of a score of volunteers. On Friday, they went to every sporting event on the beach and distributed informative colourful pamphlets in Hindi and English on the dos and don'ts for athletes. "We started this initiative in 2018. The idea was to make athletes aware of what all they needed to do to stay clean," Dr Nikumbh informed SAI Media. "We go from event to event, from national championship to even academies and institutes. We were also at the recently concluded Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in Bihar. "And since we have started this program, there is better awareness among athletes than before and fewer cases of breach too," she added. Dr Usha and her volunteers distributed four loose pamphlets, titled: All About Whereabouts, Be A Fair Play Ambassador, Keep the Best Food Forward and It Is Your Call. The "All About Whereabouts" sheds light on what athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) need to do first and foremost about their whereabouts. Like they need to submit their whereabouts information like the home address, email id, phone number, overnight accommodation address, where they are and doing what all through their day along with locations and time, their competition schedules as well as a 60-minute time slot for each day where they will be available and accessible for testing. Under "Be A Fair Play Ambassador", there is information in regard to what athletes, coaches and parents need to do. For athletes, it is "train and compete clean", "refrain from prohibited substances and methods", "submit your samples in time", and "speak up if you come across Anting Doping Rule Violations (ADRV)". For coaches, it's "educate your athletes about prohibited substances and methods", "explain the importance of the doping control process", "stay away from people serving a sanction", and "speak up if you come across ADRV'. For parents, it's "inculcate the virtues of competing clean", "educate your children about ADRV", "Encourage them to stay away from prohibited sentences", and 'speak up if you come across ADRV.' Under "It Is Your Call," the NADA stresses the importance of collective responsibility in order to do away with doping breaches, including calling out dishonourable acts and the offenders. In the fourth pamphlet "Keep the Best Food Forward", the NADA tries to dissuade athletes from taking supplements; for, they may have banned substances with the labels not showing them besides the side effects. Basically, the message is: don't rely on supplements, go natural and eat and sleep well and stay hydrated. Close to 1000 athletes from 31 states and Union Territories in India participated in the Khelo India Beach Games 2025 across six sports - pencak silat, beach soccer, beach volleyball, sepak takraw, open water swimming and beach kabaddi besides mallakhamb and tug of war as demonstration sport.
