‘A junior who plays at senior level’: 17-year-old kayakist Dally announces herself as MP does a golden sweep at KIWSF 2025

Friday’s results at the Khelo India Water Sports Festival in Srinagar would have definitely seen a few individuals jump for joy, roughly 1,500km away at the State Water Sports Academy of Excellence in TT Nagar, Bhopal.

Madhya Pradesh, after all, had claimed all of four medals on offer on day two of the competition. That it wasn’t even the senior pros who got onto the honours board, but a handful of teenagers who were yet to make it big on the international stage, put the icing on the cake.

Take Dally Bishnoi, for example – three years since she held a paddle for the first time, all of 17 and standing for her first media interview after winning in women’s K-1 500m with a timing of 02:11.093.

Yet she exuded confidence when she said, “Harda. That’s where I come from. I have National Games K-2 and K-4 silver medals. I am a junior who plays at the senior level… My brother used to be a national-level canoeist, so I got inspired to get into water sports from him.”

Dally shows maturity beyond her years when she says she is targeting the Asian Games but has to shave her timing by a fair extent to go anywhere near the qualifying standard. The bronze medallist at the last Asian Games had a timing of 2:00.635.

Niharika (left, blue) and Chandrakala (the other blue) with other teammates]
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Special Arrangement

In Dally’s event, Pukhrambamroji Devi (Uttarakhand, 02:14.068) and Nikita Sarkar (Kerala, 02:22.154) completed the top three.

Niharika Singh is younger – both in the sport (two years) and by age (14). She partnered with Chandrakala Kushwaha, 18, and crossed the finish line more than three seconds ahead of the Odisha athletes. Kerala won bronze in this category (women’s K-2 500m) as well.

“I won three gold medals last year in the sub-junior National Championships. I used to be a swimmer, but my coach suggested I would do better here,” Niharika said.

Host Jammu and Kashmir added a silver to its overnight tally in men’s C-2 500m with a timing of 01:52.615. MP’s Sudhir Kumar and Prince Goswami set the pace and finished fastest at 01:50.943. Aditya Singh and Manjeet matched their statemates’ feat in K-2 500m.

Seven gold medals have been decided so far, with 17 left to be played for on the final day. Ten of these medal events are in rowing.

Published on Aug 22, 2025