Medal winners from Nagaland’s Pencak Silat girls team with head coach Deep Kumar.
SRINAGAR, APRIL 12 (MExN): Making a mark on the national stage, the Nagaland Pencak Silat girls team returned home with a remarkable tally of 10 medals from the ASMITA Khelo India National Ranking Pencak Silat Women’s League for Senior Women held at Sher-i-Kashmir Indoor Sports Complex, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
The event, hosted by the Indian Pencak Silat Federation from April 5 to 8, saw top athletes from across the country vying for honors. Representing Nagaland, six participants under the mentorship of Head Coach and General Secretary, Deep Kumar, delivered a standout performance, clinching medals across both Tanding (Sparring) and Artistic categories, a press release issued by Nagaland Pencak Silat Association stated.
In the Tanding event, Liike Kibami and Avikali V. Shequi each secured a gold medal, while Niya Thono bagged silver. Hatneinem Khongsai and Hinokali added to the tally with a bronze medal each.
In the Artistic category, the duo of Liike Kibami and Hatneinem Khongsai won silver in the Ganda event, while the trio of Hinokali, Avikali V. Shequi, and Liike Kibami earned bronze in the Regu event.
Notably, these athletes had already proven their mettle during the ASMITA Khelo India Pencak Silat Women’s League – North East Zone, which was held in Dimapur on March 17 and 18. That zonal meet, hosted by the Nagaland Pencak Silat Association, served as a key preparatory ground for the national championship.
The ASMITA Khelo India Women’s League, an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and backed by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), is aimed at promoting women’s participation in competitive sports and nurturing talent at grassroots and elite levels. The league provides an important platform for aspiring female athletes across the country to showcase their abilities and compete at higher levels.
The impressive medal haul by the Nagaland team has brought recognition not only to the sport of Pencak Silat in the state but also to the growing presence of female athletes from the North-East on national platforms.
