Pencak Silat in Maharashtra

Reviewed profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and FAQs on this page are compiled by hand from federation, government and press reporting, drawing on Indian Pencak Silat Federation (indianpencaksilat.org), Syllad — Senior National Pencak Silat Championship, Shillong coverage, World Pencak Silat (worldpencaksilat.org). These are not cited to individual documents: we hold no per-claim source for them, so treat dates, counts and career records here as a summary rather than a reference. Sections we hold nothing for are left empty. Sport pages last reviewed as a set: September 2026.

Overview

Origin: Indonesia
Category: Combat
Olympic discipline: No
Paralympic discipline: No
Central pathway: Federation and state pathway
Athlete profiles on SportSupport: 0

Governance and status

Each field below is shown only where we hold a source for it; anything else reads “Not currently verified” rather than a guess. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition is granted year by year, so it is only ever shown with the year it applies to. Last reviewed: September 2026.

Indian governing/organising body: Indian Pencak Silat Federation
Ministry recognition: Indian Pencak Silat Federation — Annual recognition renewed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — as at 2026Source: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — List of recognised National Sports Federations
International federation: Not currently verified
Khelo India inclusion: On the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Pencak Silat"Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition) (2026-08-29)
TOPS eligibility: Not currently verified
Olympic status: Not on the Olympic programme
Paralympic status: Not a Paralympic discipline

Pencak Silat is listed on SportSupport in the combat category. Its recorded origin is Indonesia. It is not on the Olympic programme. We list Indian Pencak Silat Federation as the Indian governing/organising body for the sport.

Pencak Silat has a federation and state-level pathway in India, and athletes selected through Indian Pencak Silat Federation may be eligible for state sports-quota employment and state cash awards where their state notifies the discipline. TOPS does not apply, as the discipline is outside the Olympic programme. Pencak Silat appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Pencak Silat", so junior talent identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). (Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition).)

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for pencak silat athletes in India.

Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID)
Stipend, boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for talent identified through the Khelo India selection process (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports). Applies only to disciplines on the official Khelo India Games list, and only to athletes it selects.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment. Allocations are made case by case; we hold no record of NSDF support specific to pencak silat.
Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension for retired internationals who meet the scheme's medal criteria at Asian, Commonwealth or World Championship level — Government of India. Whether a given pencak silat event counts depends on the scheme's notified list.
State sports quota and government employment
Many states reserve government and public-sector posts for national-level medallists. Which pencak silat events and which certifying bodies a state accepts varies by state, so check your state's current notification.

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Indian Players

No profiles yet

No athlete profiles are recorded for pencak silat yet. We only list athletes we can source, so this section stays empty until verifiable profiles exist.

Browse the full athlete directory →

Rules

Pencak silat is an Indonesian-origin martial art contested in two broad streams. In the combat (tanding) category, two athletes in the same weight class fight three two-minute rounds, scoring points for strikes (1), kicks (2) and successful takedowns/throws (3); attacks must be delivered from a recognized stance with control, and grabbing or striking the opponent's groin, neck, head and joints is penalised. In the artistic categories, athletes are judged on the accuracy, firmness and rhythm of set movements — tunggal (solo pattern with and without weapons), ganda (a choreographed pair fight) and regu (a team of three performing in unison).

Authoritative rulebook: Indian Pencak Silat Federation. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Typical roles across combat sports. These are category-level descriptions, not a sourced pencak silat squad list.

Fighter / competitor
Contests bouts inside the ring, mat or cage in a set weight category.
Corner / second
Coach in the corner during the bout — allowed to instruct between rounds.
Referee & judges
Officiate the bout, score rounds and enforce safety rules.
Cutman / medical
Manages cuts, swelling and immediate medical needs between rounds.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in pencak silat at a federation-recognised event.

Black pesilat uniform with federation badge and coloured belt/sash
Body protector (pelindung badan) in red or blue for tanding bouts
Groin guard, gum shield and optional shin/palm protection
For artistic events: traditional dress plus a golok (blade) and toya (staff)
Matted competition area of 10m x 10m with a 8m circle

Governing/organising body

Body listed on SportSupport

Indian Pencak Silat Federation

Indian Pencak Silat Federation is the body we list as the Indian governing/organising body for Pencak Silat. Its recognition status as we hold it: Annual recognition renewed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (as at 2026). Recognition is granted year by year, so read the federation profile for the source.

Origin: Indonesia
Olympic: No
Paralympic: No
Category: Combat

IPSF profile →All federations →

Major Indian Events

Domestic competitions we hold a source for in pencak silat.

Senior National Pencak Silat Championship
Organized by the Indian Pencak Silat Federation (IPSF), recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and SAI, affiliated to the Asian & International Pencak Silat Federation. Now in its 12th+ edition, contested across combat (tanding) and artistic (tunggal/ganda/regu) categories.
All India Pencak Silat Championship
A separate annual event (3rd edition held 2025-26 in Dehradun). The Khelo India ASMITA Pencak Silat League also runs as part of the Khelo India women's sports initiative.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions we hold a source for in pencak silat.

Asian Games
Pencak silat has been contested at the Asian Games since 2018 (Jakarta, as a host-nation addition).
3rd Junior Asian Pencak Silat Championship
India hosted this event in Srinagar in September 2025, explicitly positioned to showcase Kashmir as a sporting destination.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for pencak silat. The national championship under Indian Pencak Silat Federation remains the top domestic competition.

All leagues →

International Players

Globally recognised pencak silat athletes to know outside India.

The international federation for pencak silat maintains the current world ranking — check the federation site for the up-to-date top names.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in pencak silat — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

IPSF leadership describes the sport's growth in India as dramatic — from little recognition or infrastructure a decade ago to competitions now running at district, state and national levels
Playing pathway through IPSF's state associations (including newer bodies like the Meghalaya Pencak Silat Association) and age-group national championships
Coaching certification through IPSF, which is recognized by SAI, the Army Institute (AIU), Khelo India and the School Games Federation of India (SGFI)
Pencak silat is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, alongside its status as a competitive sport

Explore sports careers →Coaches directory →

Related academies

0 listed

No pencak silat academies are catalogued in the directory yet. Browse the full academy list or list your academy to appear here.

All academies →List your academy →

Government Schemes

1 listed

Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for pencak silat athletes and academies.

Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Recruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons to Group C Posts in the Central Government (DoPT Sports Quota)
Under instructions of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), central government ministries and departments can directly recruit meritorious sportspersons to Group C posts (including erstwhile Group D) that are filled by direct recruitment, in relaxation of the normal recruitment procedure. The list of qualifying sports has 65 disciplines (63 listed in 2020, with Tennis Ball Cricket added in January 2021 and Yogasana in June 2022). Kudo, Karate, Taekwondo, Golf, Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Badminton, Cricket and Tennis are among them. Railways and a few scientific and atomic-energy services follow separate rules.

All government schemes →

FAQs

Common questions about pencak silat in India.

Who governs Pencak Silat in India?▾

We list Indian Pencak Silat Federation as the Indian governing/organising body for Pencak Silat, and state associations affiliated to it run age-group and state-level competition. We hold no current-year Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so this is not a statement that it is currently a recognised national sports federation — recognition is granted year by year.

Is Pencak Silat an Olympic sport?▾

No, Pencak Silat is not on the Olympic programme.

How do I start playing Pencak Silat in India?▾

The usual routes are a school team under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), a college team under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or a private academy affiliated to your state association under Indian Pencak Silat Federation. Age-group state championships follow from there.

What government schemes support Pencak Silat athletes?▾

TOPS does not apply, as Pencak Silat is outside the Olympic programme. State-government cash awards or sports-quota employment can apply where a state notifies the discipline, which varies by state. Pencak Silat appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Pencak Silat", so athletes identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). Appearing on the list is not itself a grant of funding.

Pencak Silat in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Pencak Silat in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.