Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Kohima: Nagaland seized the overall title at the 14th Senior National Pencak Silat Championship 2026. They walked away with six gold, two silver, and one bronze medal. Host state Meghalaya shocked the field by grabbing second place, outpacing many veteran squads. The All India Police Sports Control Board rounded out the top three.
About 1,500 athletes from 36 states and sports boards descended on the Sports Authority of India centre at the NEHU campus for the three-day showdown. Competitors battled in both artistic seni and combat tanding categories. The Indian Pencak Silat Federation partnered with the Meghalaya Pencak Silat Association to run the event.
Meghalaya proved they are a rising power in the sport. The local association formed just over a year ago. Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem praised the high level of competition during the closing ceremony. He noted the event "celebrates the diversity of India" while expressing hope that the martial art secures a spot in the upcoming 39th National Games.
Banrilang Muktieh, Tobias Klein, Philip Khymdeit, and Rimchi Sangma secured gold medals for the hosts. Coach Thomas Rangthaluh led the squad through the tournament. Officials now push to include the Indonesian martial art in next year's National Games, which Meghalaya will host.
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