BHUBANESWAR: The vibrant city of Bhubaneswar witnessed an electrifying display of martial arts as Jammu & Kashmir emerged as the overall champions in both the men’s and women’s categories at the 12th Pencak Silat Senior National Championships, held at KIIT University. Over 1,100 athletes from across India competed in this prestigious event, which concluded this week.
Jammu & Kashmir’s teams showcased exceptional prowess, securing eight gold, four silver, and six bronze medals. Host state Odisha finished as runners-up, with their athletes clinching four gold, two silver, and eight bronze medals. Uttarakhand followed in third place in the overall medals tally.
The four-day championship was a significant platform for athletes. Top performers were inducted into the national camp in preparation for the upcoming 5th Junior World Pencak Silat Championships and the 20th Senior World Pencak Silat Championships 2024 in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, they will compete in the 6th Asian Indoor Games in November in Chonburi, Bangkok.
The 8th Pencak Silat Federation Cup will succeed the nationals, scheduled from August 2nd to 4th at the Indoor Stadium in Leh.
Organized by the Pencak Silat Association of Odisha (PSAO) under the aegis of the Indian Pencak Silat Federation (IPSF) and supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the championship was a grand affair. The event was graced by Sulata Deo, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, as the chief guest. Distinguished personalities like Dipali Das, former MLA and chief patron of PSAO; Sulochana Das, Mayor of Bhubaneswar; Laletendu Das, ex-collector and Director of KIIT & KISS; and Ananta Narayan Jena, MLA of central Bhubaneswar, were present to celebrate the athletes’ achievements.
Among the dignitaries were Tapas Kumar Roy Choudhary, President of PSAO; Prem Singh Thapa, Secretary General of PSAO; Kishor Prakash Yewale, President of IPSF; Tariq Ahmad Zargar, Secretary General of IPSF; Mohammad Iqbal, Team India Coach; Irfan Aziz Botta, CEO of IPSF, along with other officials who played pivotal roles in the success of the event.