Pramila ekka

Khelo India Tribal Games: Less than 48 hours after writing her Class 12 board examinations, the 17-year-old Alish Ekka found herself on the podium with a silver medal around her neck at the Khelo India Tribal Games (KITG) 2026 in Chhattisgarh. For the teenager from a nondescript Santoshpur village in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, the feat was a fitting tribute to her mother’s sacrifices and a reward for a bold decision to switch from hockey to race walking less than two years ago.

Born to a former hockey player, Pramila Ekka, who once played at the state level before giving it up because of financial constraints and family responsibilities, Alish grew up chasing a dream to represent India as a striker.

However, limited opportunities in team sports made her rethink her sporting journey. After speaking with coaches at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium, located about 15 kilometres from her village, Alish decided to switch to race walking.