The 2026-27 state-level sports competition for Eklavya Model Residential Schools officially opened

State-Level Eklavya Schools Tournament Opens in Chhattisgarh

The 2026-27 state-level sports competition for Eklavya Model Residential Schools officially opened at Chharratangar in the Gharghoda development block, bringing together 515 boy athletes from eight clusters across Chhattisgarh. Lok Sabha MP Radheshyam Rathiya inaugurated the three-day event, urging competitors to maintain discipline and fair play throughout the matches. Teams from Balrampur, Bastar, Dhamtari, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Raigarh, Kanker, Sarguja, and Sukma traveled to the residential campus for the multi-sport meet.

Opening Day Matches and Early Dominance in Table Tennis

Competition began immediately after the opening ceremony across volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho, and basketball courts, overseen by physical education teachers and school sports coaches. In the under-14 boys’ table tennis singles final, Raigarh’s Sagar Dhruv claimed the gold medal by defeating Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi’s Vinayak Paikra in straight sets, 3-0, with scores of 15-13, 11-9, and 11-7. Vinayak Paikra took the silver medal, while Sarguja’s Rupesh Kumar finished third.

Shot Put and Track-and-Field Medals Awarded

Field events delivered strong throws on the opening day, particularly in the shot put divisions. In the under-19 boys’ category, Dharamjaygarh resident Shivam Sirso of Raigarh district threw the shot put 9.99 meters to secure first place. Baldev Singh of Wadrafnagar placed second with a throw of 9.72 meters, and Dhamtari’s Bhavesh finished third at 8.85 meters. In the under-14 boys’ shot put event, Kanker cluster athlete Surendra Kola captured the gold medal with a distance of 11.53 meters, followed by Sukma’s Renuram in second and Dhamtari’s Jivra Khan in third.

Team Dominance in Kho-Kho, Chess, and Traditional Yoga

Team and individual disciplines saw Kanker emerge victorious in the kho-kho final by defeating Dhamtari. In the under-19 boys’ basketball tournament, seven teams entered the draw, with Kanker, Balrampur, Bastar, and Sukma advancing through to the semifinals. Board and mat events also concluded initial rounds: in under-14 chess, Mainpat Eklavya School student Akash Topo placed first, Bhoring’s Kunal Thakur second, and Antagarh’s Tameshwar Koreti third. Under-19 chess honors went to Narad Singh of Balrampur in first, Sahil Kumar Nareti of Antagarh in second, and Yesurya Dhruva of Mainpur in third. In traditional yoga, Sarguja’s Priyanjal Ekka won the under-19 gold medal, Balrampur’s Prince Suryavanshi took silver, and Raigarh’s Dukhesh Kumar earned bronze. In the under-14 yoga division, Abhay Minj of Lundra in the Sarguja cluster placed first, Aditya Kumar Netam of Kanker second, and Avinash Singh of Balrampur third, while preliminary rounds in kabaddi and football continued across the venue grounds.