Raipur | April 3, 2026
The inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 concluded on a high note with Karnataka emerging as the overall champions, while Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced attractive cash rewards for the state’s medallists.
Karnataka Dominates Medal Tally
Karnataka finished at the top of the medal standings with an impressive 23 gold, 8 silver, and 7 bronze medals.
Odisha secured second place with 21 gold medals, while Jharkhand finished third with 16 gold medals.
Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh rounded off the top five in the overall standings.
Chhattisgarh’s Performance and Rewards
Hosts Chhattisgarh finished ninth with 3 gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze medals.
Praising the athletes, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced cash incentives:
- ₹2 lakh for individual gold medallists
- ₹1.5 lakh for silver medallists
- ₹1 lakh for bronze medallists
- Team event winners to receive ₹1 lakh (gold), ₹75,000 (silver), and ₹50,000 (bronze)
He also promised additional financial support for athletes who qualify for the Olympics.
Football and Key Highlights
In football, West Bengal clinched the men’s gold medal after defeating Chhattisgarh 1-0 in the final, while the hosts settled for silver.
Chhattisgarh’s gold medals came through Siddharth Nagesh (shot put), Nikita (weightlifting), and the women’s football team.
Star Performers of the Games
Karnataka’s Manikanta L emerged as the most successful athlete with 8 gold and 1 silver, while teammate Dhoneesh N secured 5 gold medals.
Among women, Odisha swimmer Anjali Munda won 5 gold medals, while Karnataka’s Meghanjali added four golds to her tally.
Archery Highlights
Jharkhand’s Komalika Bari won gold in the women’s recurve individual event, while Odisha’s Arjun Khara clinched the men’s recurve individual title.
Jharkhand also secured gold in the men’s recurve team event, further strengthening their position in the medal tally.
Widespread Participation and Talent
The Games witnessed participation from 30 States and Union Territories, with around 3,800 athletes competing across 9 sports disciplines.
A total of 106 gold medals were contested, highlighting the depth of talent across India’s tribal communities.
Looking Ahead
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao praised the successful आयोजन of the Games and assured that the next edition will be conducted on a much larger scale.
The inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games has set a strong foundation for identifying and nurturing grassroots talent, paving the way for India’s future sporting excellence.