India B (Manipur) clinched a spectacular victory over Colombia with a score of 8–5 in a thrilling final to lift the coveted title at the 15th Manipur Polo International Tournament. The championship match, held on Saturday at the Imphal Polo Ground, drew the curtains over the week-long sporting spectacle. The tournament, organised by the Manipur horse riding and polo association, was held from November 22 to 29 and was one of the major draws of the ongoing 10-day Sangai Festival 2025, which concludes today. The venue, the Imphal polo ground, also known as Mapal Kangjeibung, is widely known as one of the oldest polo grounds in the world, adding heritage value to the event.Manipur governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla attended the high-octane finale along with his wife Jyoti Grover Bhalla. They participated in the closing ceremony as well. The final match commenced with a ceremonial throw-in of the polo ball by the governor, signalling the official start of play. During the closing ceremony, he also released the official souvenir of the tournament.The presence of international teams further elevated the competition of this year’s championship, reinforcing Manipur’s deep and historic connection with equestrian sports. The state is often celebrated as the birthplace of modern-day polo and the tournament is testimony to Manipur’s longstanding association with the sport.Governor Bhalla presented medals to both the champions and runners-up. The winning team, India B (Manipur), was awarded a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, while team Colombia took home a prize money of Rs 1.5 lakh. After the prizes were distributed, Bhalla formally declared the tournament closed.The final match also saw the presence of the President of the Manipur Pony Society, alongside other members of the public.
