Railways Retain Men’s Kho Kho Title as Maharashtra Seal Fifth Straight Women’s Crown

Overview

• In Kazipet, Telangana, Railways beat Maharashtra 26-21 in the men’s final and Maharashtra edged Odisha 23-22 in the women’s final to close the 58th Senior National Kho Kho Championship.
• Priyanka Ingle led Maharashtra’s women with 10 attack points and strong defensive play, complemented by key holding from teammate Sandhya Survase, while Odisha’s Archana Pradhan impressed in defence.
• In the men’s decider, Railways prevailed behind incisive attacks from Abhinandan Patil as Maharashtra’s Pratik Waikar delivered a standout defensive effort.
• Tournament honours went to Abhinandan Patil (Best Attacker, men), Pratik Waikar (Best Defender, men), Priyanka Ingle (Best Attacker, women) and Archana Pradhan (Best Defender, women).
• Special recognitions included the Ekalavya Award for Ramji Kashyap and the Rani Laxmi Award for Sandhya Survase, as the results mirrored last year’s champions with Railways repeating in men and Maharashtra extending a five-title women’s streak.