Dadra and Nagar Haveli Shine at Khelo India Beach Games with Pencak Silat Golds
Dadra and Nagar Haveli's Impressive Performance
On May 20, the Khelo India Beach Games kicked off in Diu, with hosts Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu making a remarkable entrance on Day 2. The first gold medals were awarded in the pencak silat events, where Daman and Diu secured two out of the initial three golds.
Pencak silat, an Indonesian martial art, showcased the talent of this Union Territory, bordered by the Arabian Sea, as they excelled in the open competition. Prasanna Narendra Bendre from Daman & Diu clinched gold in the senior men's tunggal (artistic) category, while Kirtana Manojkumar Acharya from the home team achieved gold in the senior women's division, according to a press release from SAI Media.
In the morning session at Ghoghla Beach, a third gold was awarded in the pencak silat competition. Aaryan from Punjab triumphed in the solo artistic event, finishing ahead of Odisha's Sohil Gurung. Pencak silat is known for its technicality, with points awarded based on artistic expression and creativity.
Bendre stands out as the region's most accomplished athlete, holding a silver and two bronze medals from international competitions. He earned silver at the 2022 Asian Championship in Jammu and Kashmir, along with two bronze medals from the 2024 Asian Championship in Dubai and the 2024 World Championship in Abu Dhabi.
He expressed hope that the Khelo India Beach Games would significantly boost tourism in Diu, stating, “That will be good for us. A better economy will help all sports and the infrastructure,” as reported by SAI Media.
The beach soccer events commenced on Monday, featuring a series of one-sided matches in both men's and women's categories. Lakshadweep achieved a remarkable victory, defeating Gujarat 19-1, while Odisha's women dominated Madhya Pradesh with an 18-0 scoreline.
These Games, which conclude on May 24, include six medal sports: soccer, volleyball, kabaddi, open swimming, sepak takraw, and pencak silat, along with two non-medal sports: mallakhamb and tug-of-war.
Pencak Silat Results:
Solo Creative Senior Male: Gold: Aaryan (Punjab) - 560, Silver: Sohil Gurung (Odisha) - 542, Bronze: Vaibhav Valmik Kale (Maharashtra) - 541, Kevin (Nagaland) - 525.
Tunggal Senior Female: Gold: Kirtana Manojkumar Acharya (Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu) - 408, Silver: Bhoomikajiten Drajain (Madhya Pradesh) - 397, Bronze: Edwina Lhinghoithem Hanghal (Nagaland) - 387, Dolly Leishangthem (Manipur) - 380.
Tunggal Senior Male: Gold: Prasanna Narendra Bendre (Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu) - 420, Silver: Raja Das (West Bengal) - 397, Bronze: Ravees Ahmad (Jammu and Kashmir) - 391, Krishna Narsing Panchal (Maharashtra) - 382.
Key Beach Volleyball Results:
Men: Telangana 2-0 Andaman and Nicobar (walkover), Tamil Nadu 2-0 Daman & Diu; Jammu and Kashmir 2-0 Daman & Diu.
Women: Telangana 2-0 Karnataka (walkover); Kerala 2-0 Maharashtra (walkover); Andhra Pradesh 2-0 Karnataka (walkover); Maharashtra 2-0 Daman and Diu.