Diu, Jan 9 (PTI) The traditional sport of Mallakhamb is steadily gaining ground in the tribal heartlands of the Union Territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, emerging as a powerful instrument of confidence, aspiration, and social change for children from some of the region’s most resource-constrained communities.
At the heart of this transformation is coach Shubham Mair from Nashik, whose efforts have led to the establishment of a permanent Mallakhamb training centre in Khadvel.
As a result, the region is being represented for the first time at the Khelo India Beach Games currently underway here, with six boys and an equal number of girls competing for Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
When Shubham, who arrived here in 2019-20, and is currently working as the head coach at the Mallakhamb Academy in Shelti village of the Khanvel division, began his work, he was confronted with meagre resources, an absence of training facilities, and a lack of equipment and safety infrastructure.
“There was nothing initially. The children trained in paddy fields, on bare ground, and sometimes even climbed trees. We had no poles, no mats, no oil or powder. What we did have was the hunger to learn,” he says.
Most of the children had never heard of Mallakhamb before.
Coming from tribal families engaged in farming and daily-wage labour, sport was seldom seen as a viable career option. In households, where arranging proper meals was often a struggle, the idea of structured training seemed a distant luxury.
Shubham travelled to Panchkula in Haryana in 2020 for a preparatory camp ahead of the Khelo India Youth Games.
The focus, thereafter, was to provide competition exposure to emerging athletes who otherwise seldom get opportunities at the national level.
Things are now become easier for aspiring youngsters in the region to take up different sports.
“A permanent Mallakhamb training centre has been established at Khanvel, while a Khelo India State Centre of Excellence at Silvassa supports archery, athletics and table tennis,” says Arun Gupta, Joint Secretary Youth Affairs and Sports, DNH&DD.
“The Centre provides residential facilities to nearly 75 athletes, most of them from tribal backgrounds. World-class sports infrastructure, including stadiums and high-performance facilities, is being developed across the region creating structured pathways for young talent here,” he adds.
At the Khelo India Beach Games 2026, Shubham has brought six boys and six girls, many experiencing a multi-sport event of this scale for the first time.
“When children compete here, they realise they are no different from athletes of other states. That belief changes everything,” he says.
Among them is 12-year-old Kavya, who discovered Mallakhamb through school.
“When it was introduced in Class 7, I became interested. Sir told us that with hard work, we can achieve something,” she says.
Eleven-year-old Trusha, whose father works as a hotel cook, says she wants to make a name in Mallakhamb.
“My siblings don’t practise Mallakhamb, but I want to,” she says.
For these girls, Mallakhamb is not merely physical exercise — it is a pathway to identity and self-confidence.
However, hurdles remain. The lack of women coaches is a major drawback.
“After a certain age, male coaches cannot train girls. Social factors and the absence of female coaches mean many girls miss out,” says Shubham.
“These children may not have facilities at home, but they have immense potential. With guidance and opportunity, they can go far,” he concludes. PTI AM AM TAP
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