Diu, Jan 7 (IANS) When Raja Das isn't practicing his Pencak Silat skills, the 33-year-old helps his father deliver ice to local blood banks in Kolkata. His father has been a street hawker for decades, and Raja has been supporting him since childhood while also chasing his dream of establishing a reputation in the sport.
The West Bengal athlete has regularly secured medals at the national level over the years and on Tuesday, won one of the initial two gold medals at the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 at Ghoghla Beach, defeating the defending champion and local favourite, Prasanna Bendre.
Raja, a commerce graduate, was always fascinated by martial arts and found his passion in Pencak Silat, a full-body combat style that includes strikes, grappling, throws, and weapon handling.
“Since childhood, I have always been fascinated towards martial arts, but never truly liked karate and taekwondo. I was more inclined towards choreography, especially weapon choreography, and that’s how I landed in the sport. After a lot of research, found out Pencak Silat was part of the 2018 Asian Games,” said Raja, who began training for the sport back in 2017.
Raja’s early ambitions led him to Indonesia, where he attended an advanced training camp before the 2018 Asian Games. However, he had to put his dreams on hold. “At that time, I had just started out and didn’t have any international exposure. I couldn’t qualify, but that experience showed me the level I needed to reach,” he recalled.
Things worsened when he lost his younger brother in a tragic train accident in Howrah in 2018, forcing him to take on additional responsibility to support his family’s financial needs.
“We do what we have to do to support the family. I assist my father in his work, but the income is meagre. My family is fully supportive of my choice, and that’s where all the strength comes from,” said Raja, who has also completed a physical therapy course to supplement his income during his training periods.
Winning the gold medal at the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 in Diu is another milestone in Raja’s diverse career. Previously, he secured silver medals at the 2025 Khelo India Beach Games and the 22nd National Games in Goa. At 33 years old, he has consistently grown into one of India’s top Artistic Pencak Silat practitioners.
Raja Das has consistently excelled domestically, securing gold medals in 2023, 2024, and 2025. He has also come close to podium finishes internationally, placing fourth in the 2018 and 2019 Asian Championships, fifth at the 2018 World Beach Championships in Thailand, and fifth at the 2024 World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
For Raja, winning the gold medal in Diu is excellent preparation for the upcoming Senior National Championships, which will qualify him for the 2027 National Games and the international season.
“My aim is now to win some medals for India on the international circuit and I am confident that given the support I am getting from the federation and the government, that dream will also soon come true,” he added.
--IANS
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