Deoghar’s Suraj Kesari Wins National Gold as Jharkhand Players Secure Four Medals

Jharkhand’s lawn bowls players delivered a strong performance at the Under-25 and Under-18 National Lawn Bowls Championship in Balangir, Odisha, from October 23 to 26, with Deoghar’s Suraj Kesari emerging as the standout performer by winning gold in the Under-25 singles event.

Jharkhand fielded an eight-member team in the championship. Suraj was the state’s only gold medallist, while Soni Kumari claimed silver in the Under-25 singles category. Karan Kumar secured bronze in the mixed event, partnering Khushboo of Bokaro. In the Under-18 singles category, Jharkhand’s Pihu Kumari won silver.

Suraj’s performance earned him the Late Raja Randhir Singh Trophy for the overall boys’ championship, adding to Deoghar’s achievements at the national-level event.

Jharkhand Lawn Bowls Association vice-president Sunil Khawade congratulated the players and credited their success to the guidance of Madhukant Pathak, secretary of the state association and a coach. He said Jharkhand’s players were increasingly making their presence felt in national and international competitions.

Khawade also noted that the state’s senior team was competing in Malaysia, while preparations were underway for the upcoming National Games in Meghalaya.

Deoghar was represented in the championship’s technical team as well, with Ashish Jha serving as a technical official. International player Krishna Khalko was the team coach, while Madhavi served as manager.

Despite the medal-winning performances, Deoghar District Lawn Bowls Association secretary Krishna Kumar highlighted the challenges faced by local players due to the lack of a dedicated practice facility. He urged the district administration to provide a proper training ground, pointing out that players had to travel to Ranchi for practice despite consistently earning medals at state and national competitions.

District Sports Officer Santosh Kumar, District Olympic Association secretary Chandana Jha and other sports enthusiasts congratulated the players on their achievements and wished them success in future competitions.

The results have highlighted Jharkhand’s growing presence in lawn bowls while renewing calls for better training infrastructure to help local athletes prepare for higher-level competitions.