Jammu, June 30 (JKNS): Four young players from the Khelo India Soft Tennis Centre at MA Stadium, Jammu, have brought fresh pride to Jammu and Kashmir by clinching the bronze medal at the 3rd North Zone National Soft Tennis Championship held at Gindun Stadium, Srinagar, from June 26 to June 28, 2026.
Madhavendra Singh Sambyal, Harikesh Dutt Sharma, Aditya Dutt Sharma and Vihan Parihar competed with the discipline and tactical sharpness of seasoned professionals, earning their place on the podium against some of the strongest teams from across North India.
The quartet trains under Khelo India mentor and international soft tennis player Indu Bhushan Padha, whose coaching has been widely credited for Jammu’s decade-long dominance in the sport at the Union Territory level.
On the Srinagar courts, that training was evident in every rally, as the team combined composed doubles coordination with aggressive net play and smart point construction that belied their age. Their performance was not just a win for J&K but a clear signal that the structured, grassroots system being built through Khelo India Centres is producing athletes ready for the national stage.
At the heart of this team is 17-year-old Madhvendra Singh Sambyal, already one of the most decorated young names in Indian soft tennis. His record reads like a blueprint for the aspiring athletes
Madhvendra, at just 17, stormed to the Under-17 final at the National School Games in Dewas, MP, settling for silver after an “intense title clash”. His composure against the country’s best put J&K “on the national soft tennis map”. That silver came “close on the heels of his silver at the Senior National Championships in Srinagar”, a rare feat for a school-level player competing with the adults. He’s the reigning state gold medalist and top seed for J&K and previously won gold in Senior Category men’s singles at the 9th UT Level Championship.
Alongside his sister Sidhani Singh, Madhvendra has earned selection to represent India at the 2nd Asian Junior Soft Tennis Championship, Feb 3–8, 2026, in Punjab. His athleticism isn’t limited to soft tennis. In September 2025, the DPS Jammu student won gold in the Under-16 Boys Singles Pickleball Championship and qualified for Nationals in Bengaluru.
Madhvendra credits his growth to his “Coaches, the Soft Tennis Association, the J&K Sports Council and the Department of Youth Services and Sports”. Today, he’s become “an inspiration for new generation of young athletes in Jammu and Kashmir to dream big and compete fearlessly”.
Harikesh Dutt Sharma has been on Jammu’s radar since his Sub-Junior sweep at the 9th UT Championship, where he and Svadhi Sharma “swept all three events”, singles, doubles and mixed doubles. He also reached the U/17 Boys final at the Inter District UT Level meet, facing teammate Madhvendra.
Aditya Dutt Sharma and Vihan Parihar round out a squad where every player is battle-tested at district, UT and now zonal levels. Their bronze is not a finish line but it’s a foundation.
Jammu’s clean sweep of 25 gold medals at the 9th UT Level Championship proved the region’s depth. This North Zone bronze proves its breadth that J&K talent can travel, compete and medal beyond the UT.
With this bronze, the team has laid a foundation that goes beyond a single tournament. They return now to MA Stadium to prepare for the national circuit, with Madhvendra setting his sights on the upcoming national and international championships this year. (JKNS)
