Raipur (Chhattisgarh), April 3 (NationPress) In a stunning display of athletic prowess, Karnataka has emerged as the overall champions of the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) 2026, securing a total of 23 gold medals, 8 silver, and 7 bronze medals as the event concluded in Raipur on Friday.

Odisha secured the second position, amassing 21 gold, 15 silver, and 21 bronze medals, making them the only state to achieve over 50 medals, finishing with a total of 57. Jharkhand took third place with 16 gold, 8 silver, and 11 bronze medals.

In contrast, Chhattisgarh finished in ninth place on the medals tally, earning 3 gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze medals.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the Chhattisgarh athletes for their commendable performances during the inaugural KITG and announced cash incentives for all medal winners, along with a financial reward for those who qualify for the Olympics.

“Individual gold medalists will receive Rs 2 lakh each, silver medalists will get Rs 1.5 lakh, and bronze medalists will earn Rs 1 lakh. Members of team championships will also be rewarded, with Rs 1 lakh for gold, Rs 75,000 for silver, and Rs 50,000 for bronze,” stated the Chief Minister during the vibrant closing ceremony held at the Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay auditorium.

The hosts celebrated victories in events including the men’s shot put, weightlifting, and women’s football, while their men’s football team concluded their journey with a silver medal after a narrow 0-1 defeat to West Bengal.

A total of 30 States and Union Territories participated in the KITG, with approximately 3,800 athletes competing across nine sports disciplines. A remarkable 106 gold medals were contested in sports such as archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling, while traditional sports like mallakhamb and kabaddi were showcased as demonstration events.

Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, who oversees the Sports Ministry, commended the Sports Authority of India and the state sports department for their role in the successful organization of the Games, expressing anticipation for an even grander next edition.

“This is the first time such significant Games have been hosted in Chhattisgarh, and I extend my congratulations to SAI, the sports department, and all involved for their dedication to making these Games a resounding success. I assure you that the next edition will be even more expansive, establishing a new standard for others to emulate,” he remarked.

The 10-day sporting festival unfolded across three cities in Chhattisgarh, with Karnataka leading the medals count from the very first day, showcasing dominance particularly in swimming, where they clinched 15 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals. They also secured 5 gold in athletics and 3 in wrestling, maintaining a lead over Odisha and Jharkhand.

Karnataka’s Manikanta L was the standout athlete of the Games, achieving eight gold medals and one silver, while his teammate Dhoneesh N. secured five gold and a silver in swimming. Among female athletes, Odisha's Anjali Munda also shone brightly with five gold medals, while Meghanjali from Karnataka followed closely with four gold and two bronze.

Odisha was unique in winning at least one gold in all six sports disciplines, including eight in athletics and seven in swimming. Meanwhile, Jharkhand claimed nine golds in athletics, four in wrestling, and three in archery, with at least one medal in the other three sports.

On the final day, there were four gold medals available in archery, but it was evident that Odisha, trailing Karnataka in the gold medal tally, faced insurmountable odds. They were only able to secure a maximum of two golds in archery.

Arjun Khara from Odisha won gold in the recurve men's individual event, defeating fellow state athlete Somanatha Hembram. However, the men's team was defeated by Jharkhand in the final with a score of 4-6.

In women's archery, Komalika Bari secured another gold for Jharkhand by overcoming Bhargavi Bhagora from Gujarat. Nagaland took home the women’s team gold, defeating Jharkhand and finishing in 14th place overall with 2 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

A total of 25 states and Union Territories made it onto the medals tally, with 20 of them achieving at least one gold medal, reflecting the extensive talent pool across the nation. Maharashtra came in fourth with 6 gold, 10 silver, and 4 bronze, while Arunachal Pradesh rounded out the top five with 6 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals.

RESULTS

ARCHERY

Women

Recurve Individual: Gold – Komalika Bari (Jharkhand); Silver – Bhargavi Bhagora (Gujarat); Bronze – Ruovinuo Theunuo (Nagaland)

Recurve Team: Gold – Nagaland; Silver – Jharkhand; Bronze – Madhya Pradesh

Men

Recurve Individual: Gold – Arjun Khara (Odisha); Silver – Somanath Hembram (Odisha); Bronze – Pavan Parmar (Madhya Pradesh)

Recurve Team: Gold – Jharkhand; Silver – Odisha; Bronze – Meghalaya

FOOTBALL

Men: Gold – West Bengal; Silver – Chhattisgarh; Bronze – Arunachal Pradesh, Goa