Balangir students shine at 2nd Odisha Pencak Silat Championship in Bhubaneswar

170 participants from 16 districts compete in martial arts meet

By Mahendra Darjee

Balangir/Bhubaneswar, July 18: The 2nd Odisha Pencak Silat Championship for 2025–26 was successfully held at Madhusudan Dev College in Bhubaneswar, drawing participation from 170 athletes representing 16 districts across the state.

Organised by the Odisha Pencak Silat Association, the event was graced by state association president Tapas Kumar Roy Choudhury and state secretary Guru Prem Singh Thapa as chief guests. Several dignitaries from Bhubaneswar were also in attendance and were felicitated with gifts and mementos by the organisers. The championship concluded with a day-long display of discipline, martial artistry, and sportsmanship.

Among the standout performers were students from the Balangir District Pencak Silat Association, who secured an impressive haul of nine medals — four gold, three silver, and two bronze — under the mentorship of Guru Prashant Patra.

Stiti Prajna Mishra led the Balangir team’s medal tally with two golds in the Tanding and Tunggal categories. Kritika Agarwal also bagged two gold medals in the same events. Debabrata Mishra earned a silver in Tunggal and a bronze in Tanding, while Siddesh Das won a bronze in Tanding. Isani Jain added two silver medals to the district’s tally, excelling in both Tanding and Tunggal.

Mahendra Kumar Darji, president of the Balangir District Pencak Silat Association, attended the championship as a special guest and encouraged the young athletes for their commendable performances.

The strong showing by Balangir’s participants not only brought laurels to the district but also reflected the growing interest and talent in martial arts among Odisha’s youth.