Khelo India: Tamil Nadu’s beach volleyball duo sets an Asian goal
Karnataka top medals tally as curtains come down on second edition of Beach Games in Diu
The Khelo India Beach Games 2026, which concluded in Diu on Saturday, have been replete with stories of strong will prevailing against odds. The story of a pair of latebloomers, Bharat and Rajesh of Tamil Nadu who finished with a silver medal in beach volleyball, is just one of the many.
Gold medallists at the 2024 Diu Games, the inseperable duo of Bharat and Rajesh have already earned a ticket to Asian Beach Championship in China this April by winning gold at the selection trials and were looking forward to attend the national camp next month. We’re happy to keep the momentum going this year,” Bharat added.
Bharat’s father works as a plumber on daily wages while Rajesh’s father has been a bus conductor in Chennai. In households where financial stability was always the primary concern, volleyball was never an obvious career choice but the pair have quietly navigated every challenge to keep going.
Speaking to SAI media, Bharat, who captains the side says: “My dad works as a plumber on daily wages while Rajesh’s father is a bus conductor. Growing up, there wasn’t really a sporting environment around us. But sometimes the fire ignites late and for us, it happened during our early college days,” said Bharat.
Commerce graduates from Loyola College, Chennai, the pair credited their families for backing their sporting ambitions, allowing them to pursue a path filled with uncertainty and limited financial security. “We are both in our early 20s, but thankfully there is no pressure from our families to immediately look for jobs. In most Indian households, you won’t see 23-year-olds continuing with sport without worrying about finances.
‘’Our incomes are modest but our families support us wholeheartedly, even as we now look to become independent. Hopefully, our performances will be noticed,” Bharat said.
Bharat brings valuable experience, having been part of Tamil Nadu’s silver medal-winning team at KIBG 2025. Rajesh complements him with youthful energy and growing tactical maturity, as the pair prioritises consistency, cohesion and long-term progress over immediate results.
Karnataka, meanwhile, finished the Games as overall champions with Tamil Nadu second and Manipur in third position of the second edition of the beachfront Games which witnessed over 1100 participants in action. The six medal sports were volleyball, soccer, sepak takraw, kabaddi, pencaksilat, open water swimming alongwith indigenous demonstration events like mallakhamb and tug-of-war.