South Zone Kho Kho Championship: Kerala and Karnataka Reign Supreme in Davangere

Organised jointly by the Karnataka State Kho Kho Association and the Davangere District Kho Kho Association, under the auspices of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) and the South Zone Kho Kho Committee, the event saw participation from six states and union territories: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, and Kerala.

The three-day championship witnessed 23 thrilling matches and exceptional performances that reflected the depth of talent and growing competitiveness of the sport in southern India, with Kerala claiming the Men's Championship title after a close 30-27 win over Karnataka, while the Karnataka women's team dominated the final with a 40-6 victory against Kerala.

All matches were played on mats, aligning with KKFI's focus on promoting professional infrastructure and player safety in the indigenous sport.

The championship was inaugurated on October 24 by Smt. Prabha Mallikarjun, Member of Parliament, Davangere, in a grand ceremony, according to a press release from KKFI.

In the men's category, Kerala claimed the top honours, followed by Karnataka in second place, while Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu followed in third to fifth position. In the women's category, Karnataka emerged victorious, Kerala finished runners-up, and Tamil Nadu secured third place, followed by Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry in the subsequent ranks.

Several outstanding individual performances added shine to the championship. In the men's section, G. Dinesh of Telangana was named Best Defender, Mareshetty of Andhra Pradesh earned Best Attacker, and Adithya Patil of Karnataka was recognised as Best All-Rounder. J. Allens of Tamil Nadu was adjudged Upcoming Player, while Bichu of Kerala received the prestigious Veera Madakani Nayaka Award.

In the women's section, Kumari of Andhra Pradesh was honoured as Best Defender, Jayashree of Tamil Nadu as Best Attacker, and Kavya Krishna of Kerala as Best All-Rounder. The Upcoming Player award went to Manya of Karnataka, while the Onake Obavva Award was conferred on Chandhra B, also from Karnataka, the KKFI press release added.

The awards were presented during the valedictory and prize distribution ceremony held on October 26, by Sri Dinesh K. Shetty, Chairman, Davangere District Kho Kho Association (DDKKA) and President, DHUDA. He congratulated the athletes for their exceptional performances and praised the organizers for hosting a well-managed event that reflected the spirit of unity and sporting excellence.

The 31st Senior South Zone Kho Kho Championship 2025 concluded on a high note, celebrating both athletic excellence and regional camaraderie, and reaffirming southern India's pivotal contribution to the continued rise of Kho Kho and reflecting the sport's continued resurgence under the Kho Kho Federation of India's mission to modernise and globalise this indigenous Indian game.

Team Positions (Men's Category):

1st Place: Kerala

2nd Place: Karnataka

3rd Place: Andhra Pradesh

4th - Telangana | 5th - Tamil Nadu

Team Positions (Women's Category):

1st Place: Karnataka

2nd Place: Kerala

3rd Place: Tamil Nadu

4th - Telangana | 5th - Andhra Pradesh | 6th - Puducherry

Individual Awards (Men's Category) :

Best Defender: G. Dinesh (Telangana)

Best Attacker: Mareshetty (Andhra Pradesh)

Best All-Rounder: Adithya Patil (Karnataka)

Upcoming Player: J. Allens (Tamil Nadu)

Veera Madakani Nayaka Award: Bichu (Kerala)

Individual Awards (Women's Category):

Best Defender: Kumari (Andhra Pradesh)

Best Attacker: Jayashree (Tamil Nadu)

Best All-Rounder: Kavya Krishna (Kerala)

Upcoming Player: Manya (Karnataka)

Onake Obavva Award: Chandhra B. (Karnataka).

- ANI