In Raipur, March 26, swimmer Manikanta L. single-handedly led Karnataka to the top of the medal table as he won three more gold medals on Thursday, bringing his individual gold tally to five, while Odisha’s Anjali Munda secured a hat-trick of gold medals in the swimming competition on the second day of the Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) 2026 in Raipur on Thursday.
There was also reason for the hosts, Chhattisgarh, to celebrate as local talent Anushka Bhagat added a second silver to her collection by finishing second in the women’s 200m individual medley race. Bhagat had already won the 100m breaststroke silver on Wednesday.
By the end of Day 2, Karnataka topped the medal chart with eight gold, three silver, and one bronze, while Odisha followed closely with five gold, one silver, and eight bronze medals. Assam came in third with five medals (two gold), while Chhattisgarh secured sixth place with three medals (two silver and a bronze).
In total, 30 states and Union Territories are participating in the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, which features nearly 3800 participants competing in nine sports disciplines. A total of 106 gold medals are up for grabs across archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling, while traditional sports like Mallakhamb and Kabaddi will serve as demonstration sports.
While there were many impressive performances in the swimming pool on Thursday, Manikanta emerged as the clear standout, having won every race he has competed in so far. The Karnataka swimmer, who won the 100m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly gold on Wednesday, began the day by winning the 200m Individual Medley with a time of 2:25.93s, followed by a victory in the 100m Backstroke final with a time of 1:07.94s, and then contributed to Karnataka’s 4x100m relay team to secure a fifth gold medal.
“I am very happy that all the hard work I have put in over the years is paying off. I am pleased that I have won five gold medals so far, but I am competing in a total of nine events, and I am aiming to win gold in all nine,” said Manikanta, who trains at the Basvangudi Aquatic Centre under coach Rajeev.
Odisha secured all three gold medals in the women’s swimming events, with Anjali contributing two. Anjali Munda, who won the 200m freestyle gold on Wednesday, first clinched the women’s 200m IM gold with a time of 2:53.82s, followed by Chhattisgarh’s Anushka Bhagat, who won the silver with a time of 2:59.33s. The bronze medal went to Anjali Mallick of Odisha (3:06.13s).
Anjali then added the 100m backstroke crown to her collection with a time of 1:19.98s, while Karnataka’s Nidhi S took the silver medal with a time of 1:26.18s.
Although Anjali did not represent her state in the 4x100m relay, the quartet of Ritika Minz, Krushna Nayak, Rupali Hembram, and Subhasmita Baipai clocked a time of 5:06.12s to defeat Gujarat (5:54.37s) and Karnataka (6:29.69s) to win the gold medal.
Odisha’s fourth gold medal of the day came from the weightlifting hall, where former Asian Championships gold medallist Jhilli Dalabehera secured the top spot against Kiuchangliu Gangmei of Manipur due to her lower body weight, despite both players lifting an identical aggregate of 160kg.
Earlier, Assam’s Monikha Sonowal and Mizoram’s Isak Malsawmtluanga overcame injury concerns to deliver strong performances and secure gold medals in the women’s 48kg and men’s 60kg categories, respectively.
Sonowal entered the Khelo India Tribal Games carrying a knee injury, while Malsawmtluanga had to battle through a nagging back injury to help their respective states achieve success on the medal table at the Pandit Ravishankar University Ground.
In the weightlifting arena, Monikha dominated the women’s 48kg event by lifting 57kg in snatch and 75kg in Clean & Jerk to secure the gold medal with a total of 132 kg. Deepa Rani Mallik of Odisha (120kg) and Alaaska Aleena of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (115kg) secured the silver and bronze, respectively.
Monikha, who hails from Assam’s Dhemaji district, had twisted her knee during training three months ago, and the coaches were contemplating withdrawing her from the Games, but she overruled them. “I was clear that I did not want to miss this opportunity because I wanted to make a mark on the national stage, and I am happy that I could perform under pressure,” said the 19-year-old.
Mizoram’s Malsawmtluanga had also suffered a back injury a month before the Games in training, and that discomfort was still visible as he struggled to lift 108kg in Snatch in his third attempt and was in second place going into Clean & Jerk behind Odisha’s Subrat Naik.
But Malsawmtluanga came into his own in Clean & Jerk and successfully lifted 130kg in his second attempt to secure a gold medal with a total of 235kg, while Naik could only manage to lift 122kg in C&J to finish third with an aggregate of 228kg. Jharkhand’s Babulal Hembrom took home the silver medal with a total lift of 230kg.
RESULTS:
FOOTBALL
Men:
Group A: Chhattisgarh drew with West Bengal 1-1
Group B: Arunachal Pradesh beat Goa 2-0
SWIMMING
Women:
200m IM: Gold – Anjali Munda (Odisha) 2:53.82s; Silver – Anushka Bhagat (Chhattisgarh) 2:59.33s; Bronze – Anjali Mallick (Odisha) 3:06.13s
100m backstroke: Gold – Anjali Munda (Odisha) 1:19.98s; Nidhi S (Karnataka) 1:26.18s; Bronze – Parmila Molsom (Tripura) 1:28.14s
4x100m relay: Gold – Odisha 5:06.12s; Silver – Gujarat 5:54.37s; Bronze – Karnataka 6:29.69s
Men:
200m IM: Gold – Manikanta L (Karnataka) 2:25.93s; Silver – Riyaj Tripura (Tripura) 2:34.04s; Bronze – Kanhu Soren (Odisha) 2:36.21s
100m backstroke: Gold – Manikanta L (Karnataka) 1:07.74s; Silver – Nibir Nilim Krow (Assam) 1:09.25s; Bronze – Rajesh Soren (Odisha) 1:10.99s
4x100m relay: Karnataka 4:00.42s; Silver – Assam 4:02.86s; Bronze – Odisha 4:25.90s
WEIGHTLIFTING
Women:
48kg: Gold – Monikha Sonowal (Assam) 132kg; Silver – Deepa Rani Mallik (Odisha) 120kg; Bronze – Alaaska Aleena (Andaman and Nicobar Island) 115kg
53kg: Gold – Jhilli Dalabehera (Odisha) 160kg; Silver – Kiuchangliu Gangmei (Manipur) 160kg; Bronze – Larityngkai Lawriniang (Meghalaya) 132kg
Men:
60kg: Gold – Isak Malsawmtluanga (Mizoram) 235kg; Silver – Babulal Hembrom (Jharkhand) 230kg; Bronze – Subrat Naik (Odisha) 228kg.
65kg: Gold – Manuranjan Dhekial (ASM) 247kg; Silver – Laithanpuia (Mizoram) 237kg; Bronze – Om Kumar (Jharkhand) 231kg.
There was also reason for the hosts, Chhattisgarh, to celebrate as local talent Anushka Bhagat added a second silver to her collection by finishing second in the women’s 200m individual medley race. Bhagat had already won the 100m breaststroke silver on Wednesday.
By the end of Day 2, Karnataka topped the medal chart with eight gold, three silver, and one bronze, while Odisha followed closely with five gold, one silver, and eight bronze medals. Assam came in third with five medals (two gold), while Chhattisgarh secured sixth place with three medals (two silver and a bronze).
In total, 30 states and Union Territories are participating in the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, which features nearly 3800 participants competing in nine sports disciplines. A total of 106 gold medals are up for grabs across archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling, while traditional sports like Mallakhamb and Kabaddi will serve as demonstration sports.
While there were many impressive performances in the swimming pool on Thursday, Manikanta emerged as the clear standout, having won every race he has competed in so far. The Karnataka swimmer, who won the 100m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly gold on Wednesday, began the day by winning the 200m Individual Medley with a time of 2:25.93s, followed by a victory in the 100m Backstroke final with a time of 1:07.94s, and then contributed to Karnataka’s 4x100m relay team to secure a fifth gold medal.
“I am very happy that all the hard work I have put in over the years is paying off. I am pleased that I have won five gold medals so far, but I am competing in a total of nine events, and I am aiming to win gold in all nine,” said Manikanta, who trains at the Basvangudi Aquatic Centre under coach Rajeev.
Odisha secured all three gold medals in the women’s swimming events, with Anjali contributing two. Anjali Munda, who won the 200m freestyle gold on Wednesday, first clinched the women’s 200m IM gold with a time of 2:53.82s, followed by Chhattisgarh’s Anushka Bhagat, who won the silver with a time of 2:59.33s. The bronze medal went to Anjali Mallick of Odisha (3:06.13s).
Anjali then added the 100m backstroke crown to her collection with a time of 1:19.98s, while Karnataka’s Nidhi S took the silver medal with a time of 1:26.18s.
Although Anjali did not represent her state in the 4x100m relay, the quartet of Ritika Minz, Krushna Nayak, Rupali Hembram, and Subhasmita Baipai clocked a time of 5:06.12s to defeat Gujarat (5:54.37s) and Karnataka (6:29.69s) to win the gold medal.
Odisha’s fourth gold medal of the day came from the weightlifting hall, where former Asian Championships gold medallist Jhilli Dalabehera secured the top spot against Kiuchangliu Gangmei of Manipur due to her lower body weight, despite both players lifting an identical aggregate of 160kg.
Earlier, Assam’s Monikha Sonowal and Mizoram’s Isak Malsawmtluanga overcame injury concerns to deliver strong performances and secure gold medals in the women’s 48kg and men’s 60kg categories, respectively.
Sonowal entered the Khelo India Tribal Games carrying a knee injury, while Malsawmtluanga had to battle through a nagging back injury to help their respective states achieve success on the medal table at the Pandit Ravishankar University Ground.
In the weightlifting arena, Monikha dominated the women’s 48kg event by lifting 57kg in snatch and 75kg in Clean & Jerk to secure the gold medal with a total of 132 kg. Deepa Rani Mallik of Odisha (120kg) and Alaaska Aleena of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (115kg) secured the silver and bronze, respectively.
Monikha, who hails from Assam’s Dhemaji district, had twisted her knee during training three months ago, and the coaches were contemplating withdrawing her from the Games, but she overruled them. “I was clear that I did not want to miss this opportunity because I wanted to make a mark on the national stage, and I am happy that I could perform under pressure,” said the 19-year-old.
Mizoram’s Malsawmtluanga had also suffered a back injury a month before the Games in training, and that discomfort was still visible as he struggled to lift 108kg in Snatch in his third attempt and was in second place going into Clean & Jerk behind Odisha’s Subrat Naik.
But Malsawmtluanga came into his own in Clean & Jerk and successfully lifted 130kg in his second attempt to secure a gold medal with a total of 235kg, while Naik could only manage to lift 122kg in C&J to finish third with an aggregate of 228kg. Jharkhand’s Babulal Hembrom took home the silver medal with a total lift of 230kg.
RESULTS:
FOOTBALL
Men:
Group A: Chhattisgarh drew with West Bengal 1-1
Group B: Arunachal Pradesh beat Goa 2-0
SWIMMING
Women:
200m IM: Gold – Anjali Munda (Odisha) 2:53.82s; Silver – Anushka Bhagat (Chhattisgarh) 2:59.33s; Bronze – Anjali Mallick (Odisha) 3:06.13s
100m backstroke: Gold – Anjali Munda (Odisha) 1:19.98s; Nidhi S (Karnataka) 1:26.18s; Bronze – Parmila Molsom (Tripura) 1:28.14s
4x100m relay: Gold – Odisha 5:06.12s; Silver – Gujarat 5:54.37s; Bronze – Karnataka 6:29.69s
Men:
200m IM: Gold – Manikanta L (Karnataka) 2:25.93s; Silver – Riyaj Tripura (Tripura) 2:34.04s; Bronze – Kanhu Soren (Odisha) 2:36.21s
100m backstroke: Gold – Manikanta L (Karnataka) 1:07.74s; Silver – Nibir Nilim Krow (Assam) 1:09.25s; Bronze – Rajesh Soren (Odisha) 1:10.99s
4x100m relay: Karnataka 4:00.42s; Silver – Assam 4:02.86s; Bronze – Odisha 4:25.90s
WEIGHTLIFTING
Women:
48kg: Gold – Monikha Sonowal (Assam) 132kg; Silver – Deepa Rani Mallik (Odisha) 120kg; Bronze – Alaaska Aleena (Andaman and Nicobar Island) 115kg
53kg: Gold – Jhilli Dalabehera (Odisha) 160kg; Silver – Kiuchangliu Gangmei (Manipur) 160kg; Bronze – Larityngkai Lawriniang (Meghalaya) 132kg
Men:
60kg: Gold – Isak Malsawmtluanga (Mizoram) 235kg; Silver – Babulal Hembrom (Jharkhand) 230kg; Bronze – Subrat Naik (Odisha) 228kg.
65kg: Gold – Manuranjan Dhekial (ASM) 247kg; Silver – Laithanpuia (Mizoram) 237kg; Bronze – Om Kumar (Jharkhand) 231kg.