Broken Toes And Empty Pockets Couldn't Stop Him: Sudhir Meetei Wins Manipur’s First Beach Gold At KIBG 2026

For Wahengbam Sudhir Meetei of Manipur, a career in Pencak Silat has been neither smooth nor certain. Financial difficulties often forced him to focus on earning a living, while a freak injury during training

almost ended his sporting dreams altogether.

Things became so difficult that he was forced to drop out of college after being unable to pay the fifth-semester fees for his Bachelor of Physical Education course. Following the injury, he also switched from the Tanding (combat) category to the Artistic category to continue playing the sport.

Yet the 19-year-old has not only overcome these challenges but has also carved out a niche for himself. Along with Premchandra Yengkhom, he bagged the state’s first gold medal — in Ganda — at the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 here.

“We are a family of five, and I’m the eldest of the three brothers. My father runs a small livestock business, and I assist him in selling pigs after finishing my work as a welder, for which I’m paid a wage of Rs 500 per day. The business isn’t enough to sustain the family’s needs, and so I try and contribute my part to support them,” he said.

“I want both my younger brothers to excel in the sport; they are in school now, and also train in the same academy. So, when I reached the fifth semester, I dropped out of my course due to financial problems,” added Sudhir, a product of the renowned Nawang Sports Academy in Imphal that has produced India’s only international gold medallists (Bishan and Johnson) in Ganda.

Inspired by seniors at his academy, Sudhir took up Pencak Silat in 2018 and found early success. He announced his arrival on the national stage by winning gold at the junior nationals in the 45–50kg Tanding (combat) category, before adding another gold medal in the 50–55kg division in 2021. His upward trajectory continued with a silver medal at the 2022 Northeast Games, but fate soon dealt him a cruel blow.

A freak training injury nearly derailed his career. Due to the absence of proper mat flooring at the academy, Sudhir Meetei’s left foot got stuck in a hole on the floor, badly damaging his toe. The injury forced him to rethink his future in the sport, eventually prompting a switch from Tanding to the Artistic and Performance category.

The next two years saw Sudhir quietly train at the academy, determined to make a strong comeback.

His efforts bore fruit when he won the Ganda gold medal at the All India National Championships held in Lucknow, before narrowly missing out on a podium finish with a fourth-place result at the Asian Pencak Silat Championship in Vietnam — his first major international outing.

In Diu, Sudhir performed brilliantly on his Khelo India Beach Games debut and helped Manipur secure their first gold of the 2026 edition.

“This was my first ever Khelo India Beach Games, and before coming here, I promised my parents I would return with a gold. During the final, there were some nervous moments, as all those conversations with my parents were playing in my head. But I am happy that I won the gold,” said the Manipur youngster.

Sudhir described the experience in Diu as the toughest test of his career so far.

“We normally are not used to performing on the sand. So that was a challenge, but it was a new experience, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I have always heard about the Khelo India platform, but to experience it first hand was special and returning with a gold medal makes it even more memorable,” he added.