Goa international Silambam meet: Gudiyatham students win 24 gold medals
05-10-2026 · English
Topics: Tamil Nadu · 5 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)
News
24 students from Gudiyatham (Vellore district) won 24 gold medals at an international Silambam championship in Goa (reported 3 to 5 October 2026). They won 21 golds in single-stick (otrai silambam) and 3 in double-stick (irattai silambam). Teams from Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Nepal also took part. The students train at the Thalai Silambam training school, Gudiyatham, and were given a public welcome on their return.
Key facts
| Sport | Silambam: an ancient Tamil martial art fought with a long bamboo staff |
| Medals | 24 gold: 21 single-stick + 3 double-stick |
| Other countries | Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nepal |
| Next goal | Asian-level competition |
Background
- The word comes from 'silam' (hill) and 'bam' (bamboo): the staff was made from hill bamboo. The ideal staff reaches the user's forehead.
- Sangam literature mentions it: the Silappathikaram refers to silambam staves being sold to foreign traders.
- Silambam was a demonstration sport for the first time at the Khelo India Youth Games 2023, held in Tamil Nadu (Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore) in January 2024.
- It is popular in Malaysia, where Tamil migrants took it.
Tamil Nadu link: Tamil Nadu gives Silambam players a place in the 3% sports quota for government jobs. Gudiyatham is a taluk town on the Koundinya river, known for its match and beedi industries. Vellore district is also home to the Vellore Fort and the Vellore Mutiny (10 July 1806), the first large-scale sepoy mutiny against the British.
Source: Daily Thanthi (5 Oct 2026); ETV Bharat (3 Oct 2026)
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