THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 1, 2026

Odisha’s growing dominance in Kho Kho received a major boost as 13-year-old Subham Subhrajit Dalai, an athlete from the Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho High Performance Centre (HPC), emerged a gold medallist at the 17th Sub Junior State Kho Kho Championship 2025. The championship, held from December 26 to 28 at Tirtol in Jagatsinghpur district, saw Subham play a key role in Team Puri’s title-winning campaign in the boys’ category.

Displaying remarkable agility, game awareness and composure well beyond his years, Subham made telling contributions throughout the tournament, helping Team Puri dominate their rivals and ultimately clinch the championship crown. His performance stood out as a reflection of consistent preparation and competitive maturity, qualities that have become hallmarks of athletes trained at the Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho HPC.

Subham’s success underlines the impact of the centre’s structured training programme, which focuses on technical excellence, physical conditioning and mental discipline from an early age. His inclusion in the championship-winning squad reinforces the HPC’s vision of building a strong grassroots pipeline and strengthening Odisha’s presence in traditional sports like Kho Kho at the state and national levels.

Congratulating the young athlete, Sanjeev Sharma, Head Coach of the Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho HPC, said that Subham’s achievement is a testament to the centre’s long-term approach to talent development. He noted that identifying potential early and nurturing it with the right guidance and discipline remains central to their mission, adding that Subham’s gold medal performance is just the beginning of a promising journey.

With athletes like Subham Subhrajit Dalai making their mark at a young age, the Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho High Performance Centre continues to play a pivotal role in shaping future champions. The centre remains committed to producing players capable of representing Odisha with distinction at higher competitive platforms, while inspiring a new generation to embrace the sport with passion and pride.