Ambikapur, March 31
In a physically demanding sport like wrestling, where peak fitness is essential, stepping onto the mat with an injured shoulder is a significant risk. However, for Jharkhand wrestler Poonam Oraon that risk looked like an opportunity, which she seized to clinch a gold medal at the first Khelo India Tribal Games 2026.
Battling pain through every bout, Poonam crafted an inspiring comeback story.
Every time Poonam Oraon made a tackle in the final of the women's 50kg match at the Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) 2026. She would wince in pain due to her injured shoulder. The 19-year-old wrestler had dislocated her shoulder when she was 10, and the pain keeps cropping up now and then.
The pain once again flared up ahead of the final bout, and she had to heavily strap the left shoulder to just turn up for the bout. And she braved through that pain to beat Telangana's K Geetha to clinch her first gold medal in any national-level competition.
"How could I give up? Nine years ago, my shoulder got dislocated. It recovered in between, but it keeps hurting. If I have not given up in so many years, then how could I have given up now?" Poonam told SAI Media after the title triumph.
"Since the beginning of my career, I have been struggling with injuries, but I never gave up. Winning a gold medal feels like a dream come true. This injury is nothing compared to the pain of not winning gold for nine years," she added.
Hailing from Suiyabar village in Jharkhand's Chatra district, Poonam had dislocated her shoulder soon after she took up wrestling in 2017 and had to stay away from the match for almost a year. After returning, she won bronze medals at the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) national meet in 2018 and 2019, but the wait for gold stretched on.
Poonam revealed that she wasn't fully fit even before this competition. "My family was asking me not to compete, but my coach and support staff believed in me. With their support, I was able to compete and win gold. Winning a medal after six years is very special for me, and it is because of my strong will," said the youngster, who trains and stays in Ranchi now.
Balancing academics with wrestling, Poonam is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Ranchi University and is focused on getting into the Jharkhand team for the Junior Nationals.
"My next target is to qualify for the Junior Nationals, and I want to continue this golden run in events I compete in," she added.
The Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) is a dedicated national sporting platform established under the Government of India's Khelo India initiative, with the specific mandate of identifying, nurturing, and celebrating athletic talent from tribal communities across the country.
Rooted in the belief that India's tribal regions are a vast, largely untapped reservoir of sporting excellence, the Games are designed to provide structured competitive exposure at the highest level while simultaneously honouring the indigenous sporting traditions that have thrived in these communities for centuries.
The inaugural edition, being hosted by Chhattisgarh from March 25 to April 3, 2026, features 9 sports disciplines -- 7 Competitive Sports (Archery, Athletics, Football, Hockey, Swimming, Weightlifting, and Wrestling) and 2 Demonstration Sports (Mallakhamb and Kabaddi) -- spread across the venues of Raipur, Jagdalpur, and Ambikapur.
- ANI
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