Senior Kho Kho nationals in Kazipet: RSPB, Maharashtra clinch titles; top players honoured

The 58th Senior National Kho Kho Championship concluded in Kazipet, Telangana, with Railways (Men) and Maharashtra (Women) retaining their titles. Maharashtra edged Odisha 23-22 in the women’s final, while Railways defeated Maharashtra 26-21 in the men’s final.

Hyderabad: In high-octane finals, defending champions Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and Maharashtra clinched titles in men’s and women’s categories respectively in the 58th Senior National Kho Kho Championship at the Railway Stadium in Kazipet, Telangana, on Thursday.

While Railways (Men) registered victory for the second time in a row, Maharashtra (Women) clinched the title for the fifth consecutive time.

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In the Women’s category, Maharashtra defeated Odisha by a slim margin of one point in a tightly contested 23-22 match. In the Men’s category, Railways triumphed over Maharashtra in a thrilling 26-21 final with several nail-biting moments.

Both Railways (Men) and Maharashtra (Women) had won the 57th Senior National Kho Kho Championship held at Puri, Odisha, from March 31 to April 4, 2025. Interestingly, both Odisha and Maharashtra won silver in the women’s and men’s categories for the second time.

In the women’s final, Maharashtra displayed excellent defence with Sandhya Survase holding on to the mat for 2:30 minutes, while Kho Kho World Cup captain Priyanka Ingle held her ground for 2:00 minutes. Ingle was also outstanding in attack, scoring 10 points in total. Archana Pradhan of Odisha executed excellent defensive manoeuvres in the final match.

In the men’s final, Pratik Waikar of Maharashtra stayed on the mat for 1.55 seconds, giving an excellent defensive display, while Abhinandan Patil of Railways was outstanding in his attack.

In the championship, Pratik Waikar of Maharashtra was awarded Best Defender in the men’s category, while Archana Pradhan of Odisha bagged the title in the women’s category. Abhinandan Patil of Railways was adjudged Best Attacker in the men’s category, while Priyanka Ingle of Maharashtra won Best Attacker in the women’s category.

Ramji Kashyap of Indian Railways was honoured with the prestigious Ekalavya Award, while Sandhya Survase of Odisha was felicitated with the Rani Laxmi Award. Both were also honoured as Best All-Rounders in their respective categories.

Mr. Sudhanshu Mittal, President of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), Mr. Upkar Singh Virk, General Secretary of KKFI, Mr. M.S. Tyagi, Chairman of Organisation and Administration of KKFI, and Mr. Janga Raghava Reddy, President of the Telangana Kho Kho Association, gave away the prizes.