Gujarat athletes Diya Rawal and Devvrat Pandya returned from the Shri Sitaram Gupta Memorial All India Mallakhamb Championship 2026 in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh — held from 27 to 29 September — with a combined haul of medals, reinforcing Gujarat's growing presence in the traditional Indian sport. Both athletes have expressed confidence in winning further national titles as their careers progress.

Individual Performances

Diya Rawal, from Vadodara, competed in the Under-16 girls' category, claiming a silver medal in the team championship and a bronze medal in the individual event. 'I participated in the Under-16 category at the Jhansi Mallakhamb competition. I won a silver medal in the team championship and a bronze medal in the individual event,' she said.

Devvrat Pandya competed in the Under-18 boys' category, where his team secured the gold medal and he added a silver medal in the individual event. 'I went to compete in the national championship held in Jhansi, where our team won the gold medal, and I secured a silver medal in the individual event,' he said.

Gujarat's Team Medal Haul

Beyond individual honours, Gujarat delivered a strong team performance across age groups at the championship, which featured representatives from 14 states. The state's Under-19 boys' and Under-14 girls' teams each claimed gold medals. The Under-16 girls' team won silver, while the Under-14 boys' team secured bronze.

Association's Role in Athlete Preparation

Gujarat State Mallakhamb Association secretary Rahul Choksi credited structured preparation for the athletes' success. 'After the children were selected, they were given more time to practise so that they could perform better at the national level. On behalf of the association, we provided them with training at different places and extended all possible support to help these children deliver an impressive performance at the national level,' Choksi said.

Families and Sporting Ecosystem Back the Athletes

The achievements have drawn praise from the athletes' families, who credited the broader sporting infrastructure in Gujarat. Diya's mother, Pallavi Rawal, noted that her daughter had been competing at the national level since Class 6 and had participated in six to eight national competitions to date. 'Diya started playing Mallakhamb in Class 6, and today she is making very good progress in the sport. We are very happy with her performance,' she said.

Devvrat's father, Vipul Kumar Pandya, pointed to initiatives such as Khelo India, Khelega Gujarat, Jitega Gujarat, and Khel Mahakumbh as key enablers. 'There has been considerable development in the field of sports. Initiatives and competitions such as these have been introduced, giving athletes better opportunities to showcase their talent and progress,' he said. With both athletes still in their teens, their medal tally at Jhansi is likely just the beginning of longer competitive careers.