The air crackled with fierce strikes of sticks as the Punjab Gatka team ascended to the pinnacle of martial arts prowess, seizing the overall championship title at the prestigious 2nd Federation Gatka Cup. In a spectacular display of tradition and tenacity, the contingent from Punjab left an indelible mark on the tournament, held at the Bengaluru City University campus.
Their arch-rivals, the formidable Gatkabaz from Haryana, mounted a fierce challenge, ultimately securing a commendable position as the overall runners-up in a martial art competition that showcased the very best of this ancient discipline. The two-day spectacle, a cornerstone of the 2nd National Cultural Pythian Games -2025, was a theater of unwavering focus, constant gazing at opponents and striking with masterful techniques of Gatka-Soti. Punjab’s male Gatkabaz demonstrated sheer dominance to clinch the top honor in the boys' category while the Haryana girls’ in a parallel show of skill and spirit, claimed the championship title for their division.
The contest for the remaining podium spots was equally intense, with Haryana's boys and Punjab's girls finishing as worthy runners-up. Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, tied for third place among the boys events sharing the bronze medals. Similarly Chandigarh and Andhra Pradesh achieved a joint third-place finish in the girls' events.
The championship commenced amidst great fanfare inaugurated by Bijender Goel, Chairman of the Pythian Council of India. The event was set against a vibrant backdrop of systematic contests infusing the arena with cultural grandeur.
The semifinal bouts were set into motion by B.H. Anil Kumar, IAS, Chairman of the Organising Committee, lending significant stature to the contests. Bringing the final day’s climactic clashes to a start was Advocate Harjeet Singh Grewal, President of the National Gatka Association of India, underscoring the sport's growing institutional support.
The occasion was graced by a host of distinguished dignitaries and senior officials including Sukhchain Singh Kalsani, Jaspreet Singh Saini, Jagdish Singh, Aarthi Diwan, Sreejith Surendra, and coach Venugopal Velloli. The administrative backbone of the sport was well-managed by Gatka technical officials such as Harnam Singh, Harsimran Singh, Amritpal Singh, Jashanpreet Singh, Sharry Singh, Narinderpal Singh, and Aman Singh from Chhattisgarh, whose collective officiating highlighted the unifying spirit and administrative vigor propelling Gatka onto the national stage.