The third installment of the Khele Sanand sports festival reached a spectacular climax on March 30, 2026, as the Andej and DG School squads secured their positions as the premier U-14 Kabaddi champions. In the boys’ division, the Andej team demonstrated superior coordination to defeat Shela with a decisive score of 62-21. Simultaneously, the girls from DG School delivered a historic performance in their final, overwhelming the Zamp team with a staggering 102-18 victory to claim the gold.
Following the conclusion of the matches, a formal awards ceremony was organized to celebrate the winners across various disciplines, including Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Volleyball, and the newly debuted Athletics category. The event was graced by Gujarat’s Ranji Trophy captain, Chintan Gaja, who served as the Chief Guest and shared his personal journey with the young athletes. Reflecting on his own development, Gaja remarked, “When I was in school, I used to play Kabaddi and Volleyball and was even part of the Junior National Volleyball team. You see, while I play Cricket, the game only builds on the foundation of sports such as shot put and Volleyball that I played in school.”
The tournament has experienced exponential growth since its inception, with participation numbers swelling from 1,840 athletes in the first season to a record-breaking 7,160 participants from 105 villages this year. This surge in engagement has solidified Sanand’s reputation as a flourishing center for regional sports. The introduction of track and field events was a highlight of this season, drawing in more than 3,100 students from over 100 educational institutions to compete in 11 different athletic categories.
The primary champions of Khele Sanand Season 3 include:
- U-14 Boys Kabaddi: Andej (Champions) and Shela (Runners-up).
- U-14 Girls Kabaddi: DG School (Champions) and Zamp (Runners-up).
- Kho-Kho (Boys & Girls): Telav village achieved a double victory earlier in the week.
- Open Kabaddi: Mankol successfully retained their championship title for another year.
Spearheaded by the Vijayi Bharat Foundation (VBF), the league continues to provide a professional stage for grassroots talent within the Sanand taluka. By emphasizing character building and the preservation of traditional Indian sports, the VBF is successfully nurturing a new generation of disciplined athletes. In just two years, the competition has effectively doubled its roster of teams, growing from 153 in the inaugural season to 339 this year, ensuring a bright future for the local sporting community.
