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Time of India
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
PM praises Bihar for successfully hosting Khelo India Youth Games
Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded Bihar for successfully hosting the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) from May 4 to May 15. Speaking during his monthly ' Mann Ki Baat ' address, Modi said the event was a resounding success with five cities in Bihar hosting competitions that drew athletes from across the country. "They praised the sporting spirit of Bihar and the warmth shown by the people of the state. The land of Bihar is very special. Twenty-six records had been made there in the games," he said. The PM reiterated the sentiment he had expressed during the opening ceremony, which he attended via videoconference. "The more you play, the more you bloom," he said. During the inauguration, the PM had also praised CM Nitish Kumar for investing in sports infrastructure. He highlighted the development of a sports city on the Patna-Gaya highway and the recently inaugurated Rajgir Sports Academy in Nalanda. Modi added that hosting events like the KIYG would strengthen Bihar's presence in the national sporting arena. "Jo jitna khelega, woh utna khilega (the more you play, the more you bloom)," he said in his message to the young athletes. Maharashtra topped the medal tally with 58 gold medals, followed by Haryana with 39 and Rajasthan with 24. Host state Bihar secured 36 medals, including seven gold and 11 silver.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
TN archers aim big after first medals in KIYG
Smaran Sarvesh CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu recently clinched their first set of archery medals in seven editions of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG). The mixed compound pair of R Midhun and M Madhuravarshini secured silver, while Smaran Sarvesh bagged the second spot in the boys individual recurve event held in Bihar. Midhun and Madhuravarshini lost the final by just one point (151-152) to Maharashtra. The TN pair was leading in the fourth set but could not hold their nerve, succumbing to pressure. Madhuravarshini, in particular, stood out as she consistently hit the bull's eye, but a few 9s from her in the final arrows did not prove enough. 'The last three arrows decided the fate of the match. It could have been due to time management or lack of coordination. Overall, I am very happy, as the sport is growing in Tamil Nadu. Two-three years ago, any team would have beaten us easily, but that is no longer the case,' Madhuravarshini, who had reached the quarterfinals in the Asia Cup Stage I earlier this year, told TOI. 'The state clinched several medals in age-group competitions in the past year and that is a good sign. Maharashtra conducts camp before every tournament they participate and that is why their players have strong coordination and understanding. If TN also start conducting camps regularly, we can get better.' With the compound event being added to the LA Olympics, Madhuravarshini has set her sights on the quadrennial extravaganza. In men's individual recurve, Smaran went 2-6 down to Ujwal Bharat of Maharashtra. The 16-year-old Smaran was inconsistent and managed to win only one set. 'This medal is very important to me, and this was my maiden appearance at the KIYG. I will train hard and aim for gold in the next edition,' Smaran said. S maran's mother, Lavanya, an IPS officer, initially wanted him to take up shooting. However, since the minimum required age was eight, he was enrolled in archery. Smaran gradually developed an interest in the sport and never looked back. He joined the National Centre of Excellence in Sonipat last year, and the training there has helped him improve. Smaran had represented India in the Asian Youth Championship last year and, like Madhuravarshini, was part of the national team in Asia Cup Stage I. The main goal for both the archers is to get selected for the World Youth Championships. The trials for the competition are scheduled to take place in Pune from May 22. Additionally, the archers also have a chance to book their spots in the Asia Cup Stage II.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Khelo India Youth Games 2025: Maharashtra bags hat-trick of titles; Bihar impresses on home turf
Maharashtra has, time and again, managed to convince that its on-field prowess isn't a sporting fluke. The seventh edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in Bihar was no different, as Maharashtra's Under-18 athletes completed a hat-trick of team championships in the multi-discipline event. The state not only accounted for close to 17 per cent of the medals on offer, but also ensured there was daylight on the tally between itself and second-placed Haryana. Maharashtra's players won 158 medals (58 gold, 47 silver, and 53 bronze), while the runner-up bagged 117 (39 gold, 27 silver, and 51 bronze). Rajasthan finished third with 60 medals (24 gold, 12 silver, and 24 bronze). Maharashtra's gold medals were won across 14 sports, with an overwhelming majority coming from athletics (10), swimming (seven), gymnastics (seven), archery (six), and weightlifting (five). According to a statement from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, most of Maharashtra's standout performers — especially the archers and weightlifters — already train at Khelo India centres or the National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs) of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Aurangabad, Patiala, and Sonepat. SAI's talent development team also deserves a hat tip for identifying and nurturing 186 of the 5,071 athletes — 50 per cent of them girls — who participated in these Games. Meanwhile, Bihar, enjoying the privilege of competing in its own backyard, sprang the biggest surprise, significantly improving its rank to 15th after finishing 21st in the previous KIYG in Tamil Nadu. It registered seven gold, 11 silver, and 18 bronze medals. The host recorded a growth of 620 per cent over its showing in 2023, where it won five medals, including two gold, two silver, and one bronze. RELATED | Sports Minister announces multiple Games under Khelo India scheme Raveendran Sankaran, Director General and CEO of the Bihar State Sports Authority, attributes the roaring success to multiple factors. 'It didn't happen overnight. It took us four years. We initially concentrated on talent scouting. We empanelled the right persons for the right games; Dronacharya and Arjuna awardees from across the country helped us identify talent. For coaching too, we had national and international awardees and Olympians mentoring our kids,' he tells Sportstar. A lot of wrestling's history can be traced back to the akhadas of Haryana. Therefore, it came as no surprise when the state claimed eight of its gold medals in the sport. What's worth further praise is that Haryana's boxers also bagged eight, while its fencers won seven gold medals, indicating the state's foray into non-conventional sporting ecosystems. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary (centre), Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse (right) and Director General and CEO of the Bihar State Sports Authority, Raveendran Sankaran (centre left), during the closing ceremony of the 'Khelo India Youth Games 2025'. | Photo Credit: PTI Bihar tried something similar. It won both the gold medals on offer in Rugby 7s, a sport in which they have been improving by leaps and bounds for a while now. In fact, less than a month ago, the senior women's team from the state had lifted the trophy at the Nationals. 'I can't compete with Haryana in wrestling in the next 10 or maybe even 20 years. The same is true of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in basketball and volleyball. They are far ahead of us. So, we selected such sports where not only is the potential there in our athletes, but also where the competition is thin. But at the same time, those sports had to be part of the Olympics or Asian Games programme. Like Rugby 7s is part of the Olympics, and we won both titles. We chose games where our medal probability would be higher,' explains Raveendran. India's 🇮🇳 youth didn't just show up—they stole the show at the 7th #KheloIndiaYouthGames in Bihar, smashing numerous youth national and meet records. Congratulations to every athlete and their support staff. #KhelKeRangBiharKeSang@mansukhmandviya@khadseraksha@BSSABihar… — Khelo India (@kheloindia) May 15, 2025 A total of 26 records were broken at KIYG 2025. Girls established eight of these records. Incidentally, five also became national youth records in weightlifting. Sairaj Pardeshi of Maharashtra accounted for three of these records himself, breaching the earlier Snatch, Clean and Jerk, and Total marks in the 81kg category. Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya elucidated how the Khelo India programme, launched on October 14, 2017, will help India realise its Olympic dream. He said, 'Over the past decade, Indian sports have undergone a remarkable transformation. Under the Khelo India initiative, we have created a dynamic and inclusive sporting ecosystem with regular national-level competitions. Tamil Nadu's players pose with medals after winning gold medal in the women's volleyball event at the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, at Patliputra Sport Complex, in Patna. | Photo Credit: PTI Taking this vision forward, we will soon introduce a series of Khelo India Games throughout the year, including formats like the Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) and others. These events will further strengthen our domestic sports structure and serve as a vital talent pipeline as we gear up for the Commonwealth Games 2030 and the Olympic Games 2036. India is on the move and the youth are at the heart of this sporting revolution.' The Khelo India caravan has hence set up camp in the picturesque Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, where the inaugural KIBG — a landmark event to draw national attention to coastal and beach sports — is currently underway.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Washim wrestler Ayushka wrestles first Khelo India gold as Maharashtra tops medals tally
Nagpur: Vidarbha's prodigious wrestler , from the small village of Jaypur in Washim district, made her mark in the 7th Khelo India Youth Games, which concluded at the Gyan Bhavan Cultural Hall in Patna, Bihar, on Thursday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The 17-year-old Ayushka dominated the wrestling arena to clinch the gold medal in the girls' 57kg freestyle event. In the final round, Ayushka fought aggressively against Haryana's Anshul. The Washim wrestler took just one minute to prevail over her Haryana opponent. After taking a handy 6-0 lead, Ayushka pinned Anshul within a minute to emerge as the new 57kg champion. By claiming the , Ayushka emulated her elder siblings, Kalyani and Arjun, both previous KIYG gold medallists. Her father and coach, Pandurang Gadekar, expressed his happiness, noting the continuation of the family's tradition in the sport. He said, "Last year Arjun won the Khelo India gold medal and now Ayushka followed her elder brother. My elder daughter Kalyani who has till now won over 17 national medals, too has won the games' medals. Happy to see Ayushka continue the tradition. Ayushka started training when she was just three years old at our village and her progress is in the right direction." Ayushka, who trains at the SAI wrestling centre in Mumbai, won her maiden gold medal on Khelo India debut. She was the U-15 national champion in Noida last year and later clinched the Asian championship gold in Thailand. Much like Ayushka, Pune's Sujay Tanpure also won his first Khelo India gold medal when he defeated Sushant Vashishtha from Chandigarh 6-0 in the freestyle 71kg category. On the concluding day, the Maharashtra wrestlers won 7 medals, including Ayushka and Sujay's golds. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Maharashtra's wrestling contingent also secured the overall runners-up position by winning a total of 18 medals. The concluding day of the Khelo India Youth Games also saw Maharashtra lift the overall championship for the third successive year. With a total of 158 medals—58 gold, 47 silver, and 53 bronze—Maharashtra reached the pinnacle of success and also set nine competition records in various disciplines.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Maha completes hat-trick
Maharashtra completed a hat-trick of titles when it emerged champions at Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar in Patna on Thursday. Having won the team championship in Madhya Pradesh (2023) and Tamil Nadu (2024), the Maharashtra athletes ended on top of the medal tally with 158 medals, with 58 gold, 47 silver and 53 bronze. Haryana, which was third in the Tamil Nadu edition last year, finished runners-up in Bihar with 39 gold medals while Rajasthan finished on the third spot with 24 yellow metals. Favourites Karnataka could not finish on the podium with its 17 gold medals, one more than Delhi and two more than last year's hosts Tamil Nadu, who finished sixth. Hosts Bihar showed massive improvement in the seventh edition of the multi-sports extravaganza and accumulated 36 medals with its seven gold medals coming in rugby (2), athletics (2), thang-ta (2) and sepak takraw (1). Odisha, meanwhile, finished 17th with 5 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals. Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated Bihar on hosting a successful Games in which its athletes showed a 620% jump in performance and ended 15th on the medals table. "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the state of Bihar for successfully hosting the Khelo India Youth Games 2025. The impeccable organisation and vibrant energy witnessed throughout the event have truly showcased Bihar's emerging role in India's sporting journey," said Mandaviya. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The seventh edition of KIYG, which began on May 4, ended on Thursday at Patna's Patliputra Sports Complex. With the aim of hosting the 2036 Olympics, KIYG has the primary objective of spotting and developing talent who can on the global sporting stage in future. Several athletes have already been spotted by SAI's talent development team. Out of the 26 records created at KIYG 2025, eight were created by girls with five national youth records in weightlifting — an event where Indian girls have huge potential to win international medals.
