Champions Crowned in Chennai: Mumbai Dominates AIU Mallakhamb 2025-26!

The mats have been rolled, the scores are in, and the champions have been crowned! The All India Inter-University Mallakhamb Championship 2025-26 concluded on October 27th after four days of breathtaking performances in Chennai. From October 24th to 27th, the Vinayaka Mission Research Foundation hosted the nation's finest university athletes, and the spectacle did not disappoint.

This year's story was one of incredible skill and clear dominance, especially from the teams from Maharashtra.

Team Championship: The Battle for the Banners

The most coveted prize is the team trophy, and this year, the University of Mumbai etched its name on it in both categories.

Women's Team Championship: The women's competition was a showcase of pure class.

• 1st Place: University of Mumbai

• 2nd Place: Savithribai Phule University, Pune

• 3rd Place: Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal

Men's Team Championship: The men's battle was equally intense, with Maharashtra teams once again locking up the top spots.

• 1st Place: University of Mumbai

• 2nd Place: Savitribai Phule University, Pune

• 3rd Place: Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil university Satara 

Individual All-Rounder: The Best of the Best

In the battle for the title of the best overall athlete, two names shined brightest.

• Men's All-Rounder:

  • 1st: Kundan (Punjab University, Chandigarh) - 25.25

  • 2nd: Pankaj Gargama (Rabindranath Tagore University) - 25

  • 3rd (Tie): Samarth Rane (University of Mumbai) - 24.85

  • 3rd (Tie): Chetan Mankare (Savithribai Phule University, Pune) - 24.85

• Women's All-Rounder:

  • 1st: Palak Churi (University of Mumbai) - 17.1

  • 2nd: Bhakti More (Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil University, Satara) - 16.7

  • 3rd: Janhavi Jadhav (University of Mumbai) - 16.65

Apparatus-Wise Winners: The Specialists

Here are the podium finishers for each individual apparatus.

• Men's Pole
  • 1st: Praneet Yadav (LNIPE, Gwalior) - 8.45
  • 2nd: Nishant Lokhande (University of Mumbai) - 8.35
  • Samarth Rane (University of Mumbai) - 8.25
• Men's Rope
  • 1st: Kundan Kachhawa (Punjab University Chandigarh) - 8.45
  • 2nd: Sargunan (Vinayaka Mission Research Foundation, Tamilnadu) - 8.35
  • 3rd: (Tie): Balaji (Annamalai University Chidambaram) - 8.30
  • 3rd: (Tie) Mrugank Pathare (University of Mumbai, MH) - 8.30
• Men's Hanging
  • 1st: Chetan Mankare (Savithribai Phule University, Pune) - 8.50
  • 2nd: Pranav Kori (Punjab University, Chandigarh) - 8.45
  • 3rd: Hemachandran.M (Annamalai University Chidambaram) - 8.35
• Women's Pole
  • 1st: Palak Churi (University of Mumbai) - 8.65
  • 2nd: Janhavi Jadhav (University of Mumbai) - 8.40
  • 3rd (Tie): Jessika Prajapathi (Rabindranath Tagore University) - 8.20
  • 3rd (Tie): Sania Kushwala (Bundelkhand University, Jhansi) - 8.20
• Women's Rope
  • 1st: Palak Churi (University of Mumbai) - 8.65
  • 2nd: More Bhakti (Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil University, Satara) - 8.50
  • 3rd: Nidhi Rane (University of Mumbai) - 8.35

A massive congratulations to all the winners, participants, and coaches for making this championship a resounding success! The future of Mallakhamb is bright.

Although, this wasn't the end. There was a huge chaos which gave rise to some very serious questions which should have risen long ago. Stay tuned!

-Mallakhambist