7th District-Level Pencak Silat Championship Kicks Off in Mandi; Over 100 Young Athletes Participate.
Shimla:
The 7th District-Level Pencak Silat Championship, organized by the Mandi District Pencak Silat Association, commenced yesterday at the Badminton Hall, Paddal Sports Complex, witnessing the enthusiastic participation of 110 young athletes from various clubs and schools across the district.
The event was inaugurated in a grand opening ceremony graced by Virender Bhatt Sharma, Mayor of Mandi Municipal Corporation, who attended as the Chief Guest. In his address, the Mayor applauded the association’s efforts in promoting traditional martial arts like Pencak Silat among the youth and emphasized the importance of sports in holistic development.
Also present on the occasion were:
- Prakash Chand, President, Mandi District Pencak Silat Association
- Paras Vaidya, Senior Vice President
- Brij Lal Chauhan and Rakesh Kumar, senior officials of the association
A Platform for Young Talent
Joginder Singh Azad, General Secretary of the Association, shared that the championship aims to identify and promote grassroots-level martial arts talent and prepare young athletes for state and national-level competitions.
Medal Winners in Under-12 Category:
24 Kg Weight Category
- Gold: Nischay Awasthi
- Silver: Ayaan Sharma
- Bronze: Yuvaan Saini and Pradyuman
26 Kg Weight Category
- Gold: Devesh Singh Thakur
- Silver: Swastik Thakur
- Bronze: Divyansh
28 Kg Weight Category
- Gold: Bhargav
- Silver: Ayaan Kashyap
- Bronze: Shatvik Verma
The event has created a festive atmosphere among the young athletes and their families, reflecting the growing popularity of Pencak Silat, a Southeast Asian martial art, in Himachal Pradesh.
Building Future Champions
Organizers stated that such championships not only help in developing competitive spirit but also foster discipline, confidence, and physical fitness among children. The remaining events will continue over the coming days, with further bouts across various age and weight categories.
The championship is expected to culminate with a prize distribution ceremony recognizing the best performers and encouraging others to pursue excellence in martial arts.
