2nd Khelo India Beach Games : "Manipur would have defended overall team title had Government given due attention"
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 14 2026: The 2nd edition of Khelo India Beach Games 2026 was held successfully from January 5 to 10 with the slogan "Khel Ke Sitare, Diu Ke Kinare" at Ghoghla Beach in the Union Territory of Diu under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

As many as 8 disciplines including 2 demonstration games featured in this edition of the games that brought together around 1300 athletes from across 25 States and 6 Union Territories.

2nd Khelo India Beach Games

The athletes competed for 32 medals in 6 competitive disciplines viz-Beach Soccer, Beach Kabaddi.

Beach Volleyball, Beach Sepaktakraw, Sea Swimming and Pencak Silat while Beach Mallakhamb & Beach Tug of war were the demonstration disciplines, added to further popularise the games.

Out of the 6 competitive disciplines, Manipur, who finished overall team champions in the last edition, participated in just two disciplines to finish second runners up with 3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals behind table toppers Karnataka (3 gold, 2 silver and 6 bronze) and first runners up Tamil Nadu (3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze).

Manipur missed their chance to defend their title as they missed out on the gold medal in the men's trio Sepaktakraw competition on the final day.

Although Manipur finished third, the feat can be considered among best if the State athletes are compared with athletes of the other States as they gave their best to make the top three finish despite the lack of proper training facilities, financial and logistic support from the authorities concerned.

2nd Khelo India Beach Games

Many athletes who shone in the first edition of the games were reselected for the second edition, but some had to skip the event due to financial constraints.

On being delved into the matter, Our Senior Staff Reporter, who was officially invited to witness the event, found out that many athletes who attended the first games were yet to fully receive their financial entitlement and reimbursement.

Last year's to and fro flight ticket cost was around Rs 22,000 but it was learnt from the athletes of the first edition that they have been refunded only Rs 8,366 so far.

When Our Senior Staff Reporter approached the SAI officials concerned regarding the issue, he was told that timely submission of relevant documents and utilization certificates may have prompted a timely reminder.

The officials also assured him to look into the matter and make sure the grievances of the athletes are addressed.

Diu experience

Diu is an island and an adjoining strip of land on the mainland of Gujarat which shelters around 34,000 to 35,000 people.

Through the games organised by the Sports Authority of India in association with the Administration of the UT of Diu, this small peaceful island has showcased the potential of India's coastal regions for sports tourism and development.

Our Staff Reporter, who had the privilege to explore the island during his 7-day stay, was amazed by the beautiful sandy beaches and hospitable people.

What was more interesting to him was that there was no unnecessary sight of armed police and military personnel signifying the level of peace and security of the island.

He found that even the District Collector roamed freely without armed guards.

He also attended the closing ceremony of the games held at INS Khukri Memorial at Chakratirth Beach.

He was impressed by the meticulous time management of the organisers as the ceremony, that lasted nearly 1 hour, turned out to be a kaleidoscope of colors, a vibrant celebration of India's art and culture that left the audience spellbound while the dignitaries and speakers made their points short and clean.

Interaction with Collector (DC)

Our Staff Reporter also joined other scribes who interacted with the Collector of Diu at Ginger Hotel.

During the interaction, the Collector shared his thoughts on the event and Diu's focus on boosting Olympic sports specially Archery and Table Tennis through SAI Centre of Excellence.

The UT administration is also keen on further developing tourism infrastructure, he told the scribes.

The Collector also highlighted strict curbs on the sale of liquor and other intoxicants across the length and breadth of Diu during the games to spread the message of health consciousness among the youth.

Inference

Following his meaningful visit to the UT, Our Staff Reporter has reflected on why such a beautiful project cannot be brought to Manipur, a place studded with sports, tourism, and cultural elements and called upon authorities concerned to explore possible ways to host similar events.

Feeling honoured on being invited to such an event and experience first-hand the relentless efforts being made to promote Khelo India Beach Games, he also expressed regret for lack of transparency in the working of the department concerned back here in the State.