From chance selection to historic gold, Odisha teenager Anjali makes golden splash at KITG 2026

For Anjali Munda, a simple decision in a classroom changed the course of her life. In 2022, when a teacher asked students to volunteer for different sports during a routine class, the 11-year-old quietly raised her hand for swimming, a choice that marked the beginning of her journey in competitive sport..

Originally from Gahiragadiya village in Odisha’s Jajpur district, about 100 kilometres from Bhubaneswar, Anjali had only a basic familiarity with the sport from her childhood. Yet once she stepped into structured training, she never looked back.

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Born to a van driver employed at a local factory, Anjali is the youngest among four siblings, which include three sisters and an elder brother. Like her siblings, she was enrolled at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), where tribal students from across the state receive free education with free boarding.

Anjali joined the school at the age of 10 and initially drew inspiration from her elder sister, who is an archer. However, she chose swimming as her own sporting path, trusting her natural comfort in the water. Even then, her confidence was not always steady until a breakthrough moment arrived at a local club meet.

“The silver medal was the first in my life, and is very special. It gave me the confidence that I could do well in the sport. I have to thank my coaches for believing in me, and the effort that they put during my training sessions,” she said.

Gradually, Anjali began collecting more accolades at the local level before a bigger opportunity came through the ASMITA League (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action), which helped her believe in a serious future in the sport.

“In 2024, I won two silver medals in the Khelo India ASMITA League, held in Sambalpur, I finished within striking distances of podium in the other two events. I won a silver each in 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke, and finished fourth in 400m freestyle, and fifth in 200m Individual medley event,” she said.

“The medals boosted my confidence levels further, and I believed I could get more in the bigger tournaments,” she added.

Now 15, Anjali continued her rise at the recent Khelo India ASMITA for U-15 & U-18 Swimming League (East Zone) held on March 21 and 22 in Guwahati. Just days later, she carried that form into the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 in Raipur.

Within three days of competing in Guwahati, Anjali scripted history by becoming the first-ever female gold medallist of the competition. She achieved the feat in the women’s 200m event, clocking 2:39:02.

Despite the landmark victory, the teenager admitted she was not entirely satisfied with her performance as she had been aiming to better her personal best of 2:25s. She later revealed that the fatigue of continuous travel from Guwahati to Raipur had affected her routine, even leaving her without an appetite before the race, forcing her to rely on grapes for lunch before stepping into the pool.

The young swimmer now has her sights set on improving her personal bests in the remaining events — the women’s 50m backstroke, women’s 100m backstroke and the 200m individual medley.