Diu, May 24 (IANS) The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, congratulated Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu for hosting the first Khelo India Beach Games. The Games, which started on May 19, officially concluded on Saturday at the INS Khukri Memorial in Diu.

“Diu has always been close to my heart, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Union Territory for successfully hosting the Khelo India Beach Games 2025. It is the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Ministe,r Narendra Modi ji, to see Diu as the hotspot for Beach Games in India, and I think the organisers have really done well in terms of supporting the athletes with the comfort and attention they need.

“My special congratulations to Manipur for securing the top position, followed by Maharashtra in second place and Nagaland in third. I want to congratulate Nagaland for finishing in the top three of a Khelo India event for the first time, and Manipur has shown extreme courage and skill, especially in pencak silat. I also want to congratulate DNGDD and Jammu and Kashmir for demonstrating outstanding commitment to nurturing sporting talent and fostering a culture of excellence,” said the Sports Minister.

In all, 811 athletes took part in six medal sports – pencak silat, sepak-takraw, soccer, volleyball, open sea swimming, and kabaddi. Mallakhamb and tug-of-war were non-medal demonstration sports. Forty-six gold medals were at stake, and 31 states and Union Territories were in the beach sports carnival.

“Beyond the medal tally, it is important to remember that in sports, no one truly loses — you either win or you learn. This was the first time the Beach Games were held under the Khelo India umbrella, and I thank you all for contributing to the spirit of healthy competition and national pride,” he added.

The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, said the Khelo India Beach Games “have ushered in a new era”. “Our young athletes have truly lit up the shores of Diu with their brilliance,” the chief guest at the closing ceremony said.

Reiterating the objectives of the Khelo India Mission, she added, “The Khelo India initiative was conceived with the aim of strengthening sports culture at the grassroots level across the country. Khelo India Beach Games is a major milestone in this journey. They have drawn attention to many exciting and lesser-known beach and water sports.”

“There is a huge pool of sports talent in the Northeast, and the priority of our government is to make complete utilisation of this talent. The strong performance of these states at the Beach Games is proof that, given the right opportunities and incentives, they can do wonders on national and international platforms.”

–IANS

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