Over 1,300 athletes to compete in 2nd Khelo India Beach Games from Monday

New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS) India’s coastline is set to transform into a vibrant national sporting arena as the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 return to Diu from January 5 to 10, with over 1,300 athletes from across the country competing in the event, promising an energetic celebration of beach and indigenous sports.

The second edition of the Games will bring together over 1,300 athletes from across the country, representing 31 States and Union Territories, including 25 States and six UTs, reflecting the growing reach and popularity of beach-based disciplines within India’s sporting ecosystem.

The Games will feature competition across six medal disciplines: Beach Soccer, Beach Volleyball, Beach Sepaktakraw, Beach Kabaddi, Beach Pencak Silat, and Open Water Swimming, accounting for 786 competing athletes, including 366 women and 420 men, highlighting the inclusive and balanced participation encouraged under the Khelo India initiative.

Discipline-wise, participation includes 263 athletes in Beach Sepaktakraw, 157 in Beach Pencak Silat, 156 in Beach Soccer, 96 in Beach Kabaddi, 64 in Beach Volleyball, and 50 in Open Water Swimming, underlining the scale and diversity of competition across beach and water-based sports, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) informed in a release on Saturday.

In addition to the competitive events, traditional Indian disciplines such as Mallakhamb and Tug of War will be conducted as non-competitive demonstration events, featuring 336 athletes, reinforcing the Games’ focus on preserving, promoting, and providing national exposure to India’s rich indigenous sporting heritage.

Athletes from both coastal and landlocked regions will converge on the sands of Diu, showcasing the truly pan-India character of the event, with strong contingents from states such as Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Manipur, alongside Union Territories including Chandigarh, Puducherry, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, the release informed.

Manipur enters the Games with added confidence after emerging as the top-performing state in the previous Khelo India cycle, finishing with 14 medals, including five gold, setting the stage for high-intensity competition at this year’s Beach Games. Beyond medals and podium finishes, the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 aim to build a broader sporting movement by expanding opportunities in emerging beach disciplines, encouraging youth participation beyond traditional sports and geographies, and fostering community pride, cultural identity, and sustainable sports development.

As India continues to evolve and diversify its sporting landscape, the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 promise a compelling blend of competition, culture, and coastline, transforming Diu into a hub of athletic excellence and national celebration.

--IANS

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