Diu, Jan 10 (NationPress) Prasanna Bendre faced the necessity to transition to a different weight class in Pencak Silat Tanding merely 20 days prior to the Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG) 2026, posing a considerable hurdle at home. Nevertheless, he upheld his supremacy in the sport, clinching a gold medal at the second edition of the Beach Games.

Bendre, a prominent athlete from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, had aimed to defend his Tanding gold on his home ground during the KIBG 2026. However, a last-minute alteration to the weight categories compelled him to compete in a heavier weight class this year or forfeit his chance.

With only 20 days remaining before the event, Bendre had to shift from the 40-45 kg class to the 50-55 kg category, necessitating weight gain to face larger and stronger rivals. Rather than retreating, the 23-year-old welcomed the challenge and powered through to secure a second consecutive gold medal in Tanding, triumphing over Rohit Meitei from Manipur in the final held at Ghoghla Beach in Diu.

“Before these Games, I was in Srinagar as part of a national camp, and upon returning, I discovered that my regular weight category (40-45kg) would not be available at KIBG 2026, with only 20 days to prepare. I had no choice but to adapt and prepare for the next weight category. The difficulty was that my opponents were already stronger, as that could be their normal weight,” he stated.

“I had to gain weight, which I did by blending dates, bananas, figs, and other ingredients into a shake, which I consumed twice daily. It’s not simple to gain considerable weight in such a brief period, but I somehow managed to reach around 50-51kgs,” Prasanna Bendre shared with SAI Media on Saturday.

After earlier securing a silver medal in the men’s senior Tunggal event, Prasanna credited his coaches — Alexander and Philia Thomas — for instilling confidence in his technique as he stepped up in weight during his Tanding final.

Prasanna's journey in Pencak Silat began over a decade ago with a chance meeting with his coaches, a serendipitous event that shaped his career.

“It’s an interesting story. I used to attend tuition classes at their home when I was in Class 8, and that’s when I learned about their martial arts background. They had recently moved to Daman and were planning to establish an academy. I found myself in the right place at the right time, becoming one of the first students enrolled at the Honour Academy. I’m thankful to my coaches for believing in me,” Prasanna remarked. He previously finished in the top eight at the 2024 World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

His trip to Abu Dhabi was fraught with challenges, as his father, working for a private firm, had to take out a loan of nearly a lakh and gather additional funds from community supporters to finance his tour.

“Managing finances was tough. My father had to borrow from local lenders in Daman, and he’s still repaying that debt. The remaining funds were raised through a fundraiser organized by the Marathi community in Daman,” said Prasanna, the younger sibling in his family.

“The same situation arose when I traveled to Dubai for the Asian Championship in 2023, where I returned with a bronze medal in the Tanding 40-45kg. Fortunately, we managed to settle that debt,” he added, noting he also won a silver at the 2022 Asian Championship in Kashmir.

With a Master’s in Psychology from Madhav University in Rajasthan, Prasanna had to forgo the 2025 National Championships in Lucknow due to his final exams. With his academic hurdles now behind him and another Khelo India gold achieved, he is eager to concentrate on his sport and find employment to support his family.

“My father is set to retire next year, so I need to find a job to assist my family, which is my current focus,” shared Prasanna, who also works as an assistant coach at the Honour Academy.