Khelo India Water Sports Festival 2025: Madhya Pradesh Rules Historic First Edition

The very first Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) 2025 drew to a close in grandeur at world-renowned Kashmir's Dal Lake, where Madhya Pradesh emerged the unchallenged champion with an overpowering medal tally of 18 medals (10 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze). The three day event between August 21-23 was a showpiece of India's bodybuilding prowess in water sports in rowing, kayaking, and canoeing competitions.

Medal Standings and State Performance

Madhya Pradesh dominated on Day 2 when they won all four kayaking and canoeing gold medals, and added six on the last day. Odisha came next with 10 medals, and Kerala on 7 medals. The success of Odisha and Kerala was largely due to sportspersons training at Sports Authority of India (SAI) facilities in Jagatpur and Alappuzha.

Star Performers and Breakthrough Moments

The most inspiring tale of the festival belonged to 17 year old Jammu & Kashmir's Mohsin Ali, who won the first gold of the event in men's 1000m kayaking. The local boy, who rows shikaras on Dal Lake after school to help his family survive, clocked 4:12.717 seconds to make history for the host state. Shweta Brahmachari of West Bengal won the state's only gold medal in women's single scull rowing with a clocking of 4:00.86 seconds.

Odisha's Aviraj pulled the greatest surprise with a win over Tokyo Olympian Arjun Lal Jat in single scull men's, while other star performers were Rasmita Sahoo (Odisha) with two gold medals and Dally Bishnoi (Madhya Pradesh) with over one medal. The festival also featured participants fresh from international participants, with Shikha Chauhan, Reena Sen, and Pallavi Jagtab, all recent medallists at the Asian Canoe Slalom Championship, all claiming podium positions.

The festival saw more than 400 athletes from 36 states and Union Territories featuring in 24 gold medal events, all Olympic classes of rowing, kayaking, and canoeing, at the first ever unified open age championship of the three boat sports. The festival's success is a testament to India's efforts in building water sports infrastructure and talent hunting at grass root levels.