The National Cultural Pythian Games 2025 came to an end this evening at Bengaluru City University, Base Camp by Push Sports. For three days, the campus had the easy, steady rhythm of a festival. Students lingered around the stages, artists rehearsed steps in the corners, and visitors drifted between performances. More than 2,000 participants from 10 states and union territories took part, bringing with them dance forms, music traditions and their own ways of celebrating culture.
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Mr. Anil Kumar, Mr. Bijender Goel and Mrs. Sneha Venkataramani at the conclusion of the 2nd National Modern Pythian Games, Bengaluru
The revival of the Pythian Games in India is led by Mr. Bijender Goel, Founder of International Pythian Games who has been working to place art and sport on a national and global platform. Speaking at the closing ceremony, he referred to the Bengaluru edition as a step in India’s larger cultural pathway. “The Pythian movement is about creating bridges, not boundaries,” he said. He also mentioned the Youth Pythian Games planned for 2026 in collaboration with Russia, and India’s hosting of the first International Pythian Games in 2027.
One of the highlights this year was the introduction of a national-level Pittu (Seven Stones) competition, a childhood street game that many in the audience recognized instantly. The energy around the arena shifted; people cheered in a way that was spontaneous and familiar.
In the boys’ category, Madhya Pradesh secured Gold, Madhya Pradesh also earned Silver, and Odisha claimed Bronze.
In the girls’ category, Madhya Pradesh again took Gold, with Odisha receiving Silver and Rajasthan taking Bronze.
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In the girls’ category of the National-level Pittu (Seven Stones) competition, Madhya Pradesh once again clinched the Gold medal
At one point, even Mr. Bijender Goel, Mrs. Lalitha Goel, Shri B. H. Anil Kumar (Chairperson) and Mrs. Sneha Venkataramani (Organising Secretary) joined in briefly to try their hand at striking the stone pile. The moment drew laughter and applause from the sidelines — a reminder that cultural memory lives not only in stage art, but in simple games once played in school courtyards and narrow streets.
The final day saw performances and recognitions across categories.
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In the Junior Group Dance category, Laya Dhwani Academy from Karnataka secured the Gold medal.
In the Sub-Junior Dance Solo section, Pavika Kumar (Delhi) won Gold, marking her third straight victory at the National Pythian Games. Maya Krishna (Karnataka) received Silver, while Nikitha S and Tashya B.K (both from Karnataka) shared Bronze.
In the Junior Group Dance category, Laya Dhwani Academy (Karnataka) earned Gold, Sheffield Stars (Uttarakhand) took Silver, and the Harshit Naik Group (Karnataka) won Bronze. The stage saw a mix of Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Coorgi traditional dance and folk pieces from Uttarakhand. Each performance carried the particular pace and character of the region it represented, which kept the audience attentive through the day.
In the Sambo wrestling competitions, in the boys (18-20yrs) 71 kg category, B Sri Kali Saran from Tamil Nadu bagged the Gold medal while A M Omkar from Karnataka bagged the silver medal. In the boys (under 24) 58kg, R Balaji Naik from Andhra Pradesh won the gold medal and Kishore Kumar from Tamil Nadu won the silver medal. In the girls (14-16yrs) 44 kg category, P Sri Dharanisha from TN won the gold medal and S. Sana from AP won the silver medal. In the girls (8-9yrs) 34kg category, S Nithila and A Riya Sri from TN bagged the gold and silver respectively.
Mr. B.H. Anil Kumar, Retired IAS officer said, “As we conclude the Second National Cultural Pythian Games, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to every participant, artist and organiser. Over these days, we have witnessed India’s cultural brilliance in its purest form. May this spirit of creativity, unity and excellence continue to inspire us long after the Games end.”
Mr. Gunaranjan Shetty, President of the Karnataka Wrestling Association, attended the closing ceremony and congratulated the participants. He spoke briefly about Karnataka’s long tradition of supporting artistic and athletic talent in equal measure.
The festival was coordinated by a team led by Shri B. H. Anil Kumar, Retired IAS (Chairperson), Mr. Shantanu Agrahari, IAS (President, PCI), Mrs. Sneha Venkataramani (Organising Secretary) and Mr. S. Siva Kumar (Secretary General). Their work ensured that schedules ran on time and that artists and visitors had the support they needed across the venue.
As the event concludes, Bengaluru adds another chapter to its identity as a city where older cultural forms and contemporary expression continue to meet. The Pythian Games leave behind a quiet but clear message: traditions stay alive when they are shared, practiced and passed to younger hands.
