Manipur’s martial art Thang-Ta, one of the five indigenous sports featured at the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 (KIYG), concluded on Wednesday at Gaya’s Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD). Hosts Bihar made history by clinching their first-ever gold medals in the KIYG, while Manipur led the tally with three golds. The Government of India, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to promoting indigenous sports such as Thang-Ta, Mallakhamb, Gatka, Kalarippayattu, and Yogasana. Federations representing these sports across the country are aiming for inclusion in the 2036 Olympics, which India aspires to host for the first time in its history. When it comes to Thang-Ta, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Huidrom Premkumar has been the driving force behind the sport’s development and growth. Now 70 years old, Premkumar shared insights into Thang-Ta’s journey. “The sport was banned by the British in 1891 because it posed a threat to them. Through the efforts of a local Raja, it was revived in 1930, and my guru, Rajkumar Sanahan, took over,” he recalled. After Sanahan passed away in 1988, the responsibility of carrying Thang-Ta forward fell to Premkumar, who has since worked tirelessly to promote the sport across India and internationally. Thanks to his efforts, countries like South Korea and Iran have hosted Thang-Ta events. A major milestone came in 2021, when the Government of India included the sport in the KIYG. Since then, Thang-Ta has grown in visibility and participation. “I have dedicated my entire life to Thang-Ta. I’m very happy with where we are today, but there’s still more to be done. We must promote our native martial arts. That’s not to disrespect other traditions, like Japanese or Chinese martial arts, but we must prioritize our own,” said Premkumar. Hundreds of children took part in the competition. Thang-Ta at KIYG has two formats: Phunaba Ama, the traditional style where participants use a sword (Cheibee in Manipuri) and shield (Chungoi in Manipuri); and Phunaba Anishuba, a version innovated by Premkumar himself, where the shield is removed and kicking is permitted. A total of 128 athletes from 25 states competed in four weight categories: -52kg and -56kg for girls, and -56kg and -60kg for boys. Eight gold medals were up for grabs over the three-day event held from May 12–14, which featured pre-quarterfinals, quarterfinals, semi-finals, and finals. Manipur secured three of the eight gold medals, courtesy of Thokchom Srinivas Singh, Konjengbam Pareihanba Singh, and Thangjam Lembisana Devi. Bihar and Assam bagged two golds each, while Madhya Pradesh claimed one. Bihar’s historic golds were won by Priya Prerna in Phunaba Ama (-52kg) and Mahika Kumari in Phunaba Anishuba (-56kg). These marked the first-ever golds for the host state at KIYG. Additionally, Bihar earned three bronze medals through Bhumik Raj, Lucky Kumar, and Suvakshi Sargam—a significant leap from their previous record of just one bronze. Bihar’s Thang-Ta coach, Sarangthem Tiken Singh, originally from Manipur, was appointed following a request from the local federation to the national body. He played a pivotal role in the team’s success. “The kids here are very talented. We held a two-month training camp in Rajgir, and they worked really hard. I was surprised at how quickly they picked up the techniques. I’m extremely proud of them,” said Singh. For more updates on Khelo India Youth Games 2025 and full medal tally, visit:👉 Khelo India Youth Games Portal👉 Medal Tally KIYG 2025