Chief Minister Meets and Congratulates Winners of the All India Forest Sports Meet

Chhattisgarh Becomes Overall Champion for the 13th Consecutive Time at the All India Forest Sports Meet

Raipur, Nov 2025 : Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today met and congratulated the winning players of Chhattisgarh who secured the overall championship for the 13th consecutive time at the All India Forest Sports Meet, during an interaction held at the Medical College campus in Raipur. He extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all the players for this remarkable achievement.

Encouraging the players, the Chief Minister said that through their outstanding performance, they have elevated the pride of Chhattisgarh across the country, and this accomplishment is a matter of great honor for the entire state.

It is noteworthy that in the 28th All India Forest Sports Meet, held in Dehradun from 12 to 16 November, Chhattisgarh maintained its dominance and clinched the overall championship trophy for the 13th consecutive time. This victory is a symbol of the state’s glorious tradition, discipline, hard work, and the team’s unwavering commitment. During the grand closing ceremony, Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Gurmeet Singh and Forest Minister Shri Subodh Uniyal jointly presented the overall championship trophy, which was received on behalf of Chhattisgarh by IFS officer Smt. Shalini Raina and the team’s nodal officer. Their leadership and the team’s unity and exceptional performance played a crucial role in this achievement.

This year, with a strong contingent of 253 members, Chhattisgarh delivered an unprecedented performance, winning a total of 150 medals and securing 578 points — a historic lead of 221 points over the first runner-up. The team claimed 74 gold, 34 silver, and 42 bronze medals, establishing comprehensive dominance in the competition. Several players delivered outstanding individual performances as well, bringing great pride to the state—such as Nikhil Zalko, who won five gold medals in swimming and was declared the Best Male Athlete. Similarly, Sangeeta Rajagopalan won four gold and one silver in badminton and tennis, earning the Best Female Athlete title. Thota Sankeertana secured five gold medals to become the Best Athlete in the Women’s Open Category. In the veterans’ category, Sukhnandan Lal Dhruv and Charulata Gajpal also excelled, enhancing Chhattisgarh’s prestige.

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 and direction have played a key role in consistently taking the team to new heights. This victory of the Chhattisgarh Forest Department is not merely a sports achievement but a golden chapter that has established a new benchmark of sportsmanship and excellence at the national level. Once again, the state has proved that its sporting tradition, hard work, and spirit keep it consistently at the top.

On this occasion, Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, NAN Chairman Shri Sanjay Srivastava, Yoga Commission Chairman Shri Roop Narayan Sinha, Chairman of Chhattisgarh Tribal, Local Health Tradition & Medicinal Plant Board Shri Vikas Markam, Waqf Board Chairman Dr. Salim Raj, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shri V. Srinivas Rao, members of the Minor Forest Produce Federation, and a large number of winning players were present.