Chhattisgarh becomes Overall Champion for the 13th consecutive time in the All India Forest Sports Meet
Raipur, November 19, 2025 // Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today met the victorious players of Chhattisgarh who became the overall champions for the 13th consecutive time in the All India Forest Sports Meet at the Medical College campus in the capital Raipur. He extended his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all the players for this magnificent achievement.
Encouraging the players, Chief Minister Shri Sai said that with their excellent performance, they have raised the pride of Chhattisgarh across the entire country, and their achievement is a matter of pride for the entire state.
It is noteworthy that in the 28th All India Forest Sports Meet held in Dehradun from November 12 to 16, Chhattisgarh maintained its dominance and won the Overall Championship Trophy for the 13th consecutive time. This victory is a symbol of Chhattisgarh’s glorious tradition, discipline, hard work, and the team’s indomitable commitment.
At the grand closing ceremony, the Hon’ble Governor of Uttarakhand, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Gurmeet Singh, and Forest Minister Shri Subodh Uniyal jointly presented the Overall Championship Trophy, which was received by IFS Mrs. Shalini Raina and the team’s nodal officer on behalf of Chhattisgarh. The unity and outstanding performance of the team under their leadership were the main reasons for this achievement.
This year, with a strong team of 253 members, Chhattisgarh delivered an unprecedented performance, securing a total of 150 medals and 578 points, which is a historic lead of 221 points over the first runner-up. The team established its all-round dominance in the competition by winning 74 gold, 34 silver, and 42 bronze medals. Many players also enhanced the state’s glory by performing excellently at the individual level—Nikhil Zhalko received the title of best male player by winning five gold medals in swimming. Sangeeta Rajagopalan received the honor of best female player by winning four gold and one silver medal each in badminton and tennis. Similarly, Thota Sankirtan became the best athlete in the women’s open category by winning five gold medals. Sukhnandan Lal Dhruv and Charulata Gajpal enhanced Chhattisgarh’s pride by performing excellently in the veteran category.
This historic success is the result of the visionary guidance of Forest Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap and the inspiring leadership of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shri V. Srinivas Rao. Their continuous support, direction, and encouragement have played a significant role in taking the team to new heights every time. This victory of the Chhattisgarh Forest Department is not just a sporting achievement but a golden chapter that has set a new standard for sportsmanship and excellence at the national level. The state has once again proven that its sporting tradition, hard work, and spirit keep it a consistent champion.
On this occasion, Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, Chairman of NAFED Shri Sanjay Srivastava, Chairman of Yoga Commission Shri Roop Narayan Sinha, Chairman of Chhattisgarh Tribal, Local Health Tradition and Medicinal Plant Board Shri Vikas Markam, Chairman of Waqf Board Dr. Salim Raj, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shri V. Srinivas Rao, along with members of the Minor Forest Produce Federation and a large number of winning players were present.