KHELO INDIA YOUTH GAMES
PATNA, May 8: Madhya Pradesh’s Devendra Patidar and Sidhi Gupta emerged the most successful athletes in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Mallakhamb competition, which concluded in the IIM Campus here. Devendra Patidar finished with four gold and Sidhi Gupta with three.
Devendra Patidar added three individual gold medals to the team title won on the opening day. He was in top form and won the All-round and Pole competitions, edging out Rakesh Kumar Werda (Chhattisgarh) in the latter event despite tying on scores, the chief judge’s higher score enabling him to bag the top spot.
However, even the chief judge found it hard to break the tie between Devendra Patidar and Nishant Pappu Lokhande (Maharashtra) in the Hanging final. Rohith Sairam (Tamil Nadu) handed Devendra Patidar his only defeat in the competition by performing better than the Madhya Pradesh star on the Rope.
Patidar basked in the newfound attention but said he had exceeded his expectations. “Honestly speaking, I didn’t think I would be fetching five medals from the competition. This has really motivated me. I will try to get better,” said the 17-year-old star.
Maharashtra’s athletes picked up a second gold through Aarya Jayvantrao Salunkhe (Rope), who stopped Sidhi Gupta from making a clean sweep of the individual gold medals.
Mallakhamb Steering Committee Chairman Yogesh Malviya said the sky is the limit for the indigenous sport. “Khelo India Youth Games is a big platform for Mallakhamb, thanks to the Government’s vision for indigenous sports. From what I have seen so far, the sport is gaining wider popularity,” he said.
BIHAR LEADS CHARGE IN E-SPORTS
Hosts Bihar led the charge with multiple top-three finishes across various events as e-sports made a historic debut as a demonstration sport here on Thursday.
A total of eight states participated in the demonstration event, competing in disciplines such as BGMI, Chess, Street Fighter 6, and eFootball.
Among all categories, BGMI continues to hold the top spot as the most popular e-sport in India.
Sixteen teams – two from each state – contested for top finishes at KIYG 2025. Bihar’s A and B teams claimed first and third places, respectively, while Tamil Nadu’s A team was sandwiched between the two home sides.
In the e-Football console event, Tamil Nadu’s Arnav Rajiv Parikh emerged victorious, followed by Bihar’s Tanav Raj in second and Maharashtra’s Ronit Sagar Satam in third.
Chess saw local talents dominate once again, with Rupesh B Ramchandra and Amrit Raunak finishing first and second, and Maharashtra’s Mohit Kamlesh Thanvi completing the podium.
In Street Fighter 6, Telangana’s Mandalapu Sreejesh claimed the top spot. He was trailed by Maharashtra’s Parth Swapnil Pawar in second and Bihar’s Rohit Kumar in third.
The e-Football mobile category culminated in a thrilling final between Nagaland’s Lamgouhao Kipgen and Arunachal Pradesh’s Jipin Gongo, with the title heading to the Northeast. Maharashtra’s Parth Varekar secured third place.
FATHER’S BACKING FUEL TRIPLE GOLD FOR JAKHAR
The KIYG marked a defining moment for Harshita Jakhar, the 18-year-old cyclist from Rajasthan who claimed a sensational golden hat-trick at the Yamuna Velodrome in the Indira Gandhi Indoor Complex here, on Thursday.
The Target Asian Games Group athlete handled pressure with aplomb and put up her best performance in KIYG 2025.
Her top-of-the-podium finish in the 500m Time Trial, 7.5km Scratch Race and 2km Individual Pursuit on KIYG debut not only became the highlight of the ongoing Games but also reflected the sheer discipline and the love for cycling in the Jakhar family.
Harshita’s medal rush couldn’t have been fueled without her father-coach Rakesh Jakhar’s supportA former cyclist who competed in the Commonwealth Games 2010 and a qualified coach from NIS Patiala, Rakesh, is the reason Harshita took to the sport. “She has always won nothing less than gold at the national championships,” Rakesh, 42, told SAI Media.
Harshita’s cycling journey began in August 2020, when Rakesh asked Harshita and her younger cousin Aditya to start cycling on the roads of Patiala. What began as a simple morning activity revealed Harshita’s natural endurance. “I noticed they could cycle 30–40 km without breaking a sweat. That’s when I realised Harshita had the potential to go far,” Rakesh said.Harshita credits her father’s continuous support in shaping her career. “Whatever I am is because of my father’s dedication. It is because of him that I’m into cycling. During the lockdown, he pushed me every single day. He always believed I could bring medals,” she saidWith three gold here and a promising record in the junior circuit, Harshita is now setting her sights higher. (Agencies)