Manipur emerged as overall champions of the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games 2025, finishing ahead of Maharashtra and Nagaland in a thrilling medal race that went down to the wire. With five states, Manipur, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, all tied with five gold medals each, it was the silver count that separated them in the final standings.
Manipur edged ahead with six silvers to claim the top spot, followed by Maharashtra with five. Nagaland, scripting history with their best-ever finish at a Khelo India event, secured third place with three silvers. Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir shared fourth place, each with one silver.
Hosts Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNHDD) finished seventh despite matching Delhi’s gold tally (four), falling short by two silvers.
The medal table was significantly shaped by pencak silat, an Indonesian martial art that continues to grow in popularity across India. Of the 46 golds on offer, 28 came from pencak silat.
Manipur bagged four of their five golds in the discipline. Nagaland matched that with four as well, while Maharashtra picked up three. All of Jammu and Kashmir’s five golds and all four of DNHDD’s also came from pencak silat.
Friday night served up a dramatic finale to the Games with gold medal matches in beach volleyball, beach soccer, and beach sepak takraw lighting up the Ghoghla Beach under floodlights. Tamil Nadu dominated the volleyball events, winning both the men’s and women’s titles.
In beach sepak takraw, the Nagaland women’s quad regu team delivered one of the standout performances of the Games. In a tense final against Haryana, they held their nerve to clinch a 2-1 win and secure the gold.
“It was a very dramatic final. Haryana played so well, but luck favoured us, and we got the job done,” said Kethosituo Sekhose, Chef de Mission for Nagaland. “This team will now prepare for national selection. The overall performance of our squad has been outstanding, almost everyone won a medal,” he told Media.
Delhi claimed gold in the men’s sepak takraw final with a 2-1 win over Manipur. The sport saw strong participation, with 249 athletes competing.
Beach soccer was another major draw, with 166 players participating, making it the second-largest event of the Games. The men’s final was a one-sided affair as Kerala outplayed Goa 12-4, thanks to a four-goal haul from Muhseer Tkb and a hat-trick from Rohith Yesudas. It was a complete team performance from Kerala, with every player making a contribution.
The women’s final between Odisha and Gujarat was a far tighter contest. Odisha, led by captain Jasoda Munda’s brace, edged the hosts 3-2 to claim their maiden gold at the Beach Games. “It’s a proud moment to win our first gold here,” said Jasoda. “We started well, but Gujarat adjusted and made it tough. In the end, it was a close and intense match.”
Beach Soccer Results
Men:
Gold - Kerala
Silver: Goa
Bronze: Lakshadweep and Maharashtra
Women:
Gold: Odisha
Silver: Gujarat
Bronze: Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh
Sepak Takraw Results - Quad Regu
Men:
Gold: Delhi
Silver: Manipur
Bronze: Odisha, Bihar
Women:
Gold: Nagaland
Silver: Haryana
Bronze: Uttar Pradesh, Odisha
