Indian Railways delivered a commanding statement of intent by clinching both the men’s and women’s titles at the 75th Senior National Basketball Championship, held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium from January 4 to 11.
Organized by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), the championship culminated in two high-quality finals that showcased the growing depth and competitiveness of Indian basketball. The twin triumph marked a particularly historic milestone for Indian Railways, especially in the men’s category, where they ended a 15-year title drought to reclaim the crown for the first time since 2011.
The women’s final saw defending champions Indian Railways edge past a spirited Kerala side 75–66 in a contest that ebbed and flowed throughout. Railways made an assertive start, racing to an early 8–0 lead in the opening quarter. Kerala, however, responded with resilience, leaning heavily on quick transition play to claw their way back into the contest. Railways’ disciplined defensive structure disrupted Kerala’s rhythm at key moments, yet the challengers stayed close enough to ensure a tight first half, which ended 44–41 in favor of Railways.
The third quarter proved decisive as Railways raised both their defensive intensity and offensive efficiency. A series of crucial stops and well-executed scoring runs allowed them to stretch the margin to 61–54. Kerala refused to fold and mounted another comeback in the final quarter, narrowing the gap to 64–61. However, Railways held their nerve in the closing minutes, executing clutch plays on both ends of the floor to seal the win and successfully defend their title.
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Individual performances added further quality to the final. For Kerala, Sreekala Rani led from the front with 23 points, while Kavitha Jose chipped in with an impressive 22. Indian Railways was powered by Harshitha K B, who delivered a commanding double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Pushpa Senthilkumar, who added 21 crucial points.
The Kerala squad featured #11 Aneesha Cleetus, #8 Niranjana, #3 Sreekala Rani, #15 Irin Elsa, #1 Swapna Marin, #16 Akshaya Philip, #10 Susan Florentina, #7 Kavitha Jose, #4 Jayalakshmi V., #23 Chinnu Koshy, #12 Jesley, and #6 Reema. Railways’ roster included #4 Vaishnavi Yadav, #5 Rashi Khotani, #15 Poonam Chaturvedi, #18 Pushpa Senthilkumar, #31 Harshitha K B, #7 Priyanka P, #9 Dharshini, #6 Sathya K, #30 Nitika A, #12 Manmeet Kaur, #25 Namrata, and #45 Harima Sundhari.
The men’s final was equally compelling, as Indian Railways defeated hosts Tamil Nadu 77–69 in a high-profile clash attended by national head coach Scott Fleming. Playing in front of nearly 800 home fans in Chennai, Tamil Nadu had enjoyed a dominant run to the final, cruising through the knockout stages. Their path included a 103–61 demolition of Services, an 87–57 quarterfinal win over Kerala led by A. Anantharaj’s 24 points, and a reportedly one-sided semi-final victory over Uttar Pradesh by a margin of around 50 points. Until the final, they had not been truly tested.
Railways, however, brought a level of physicality and discipline that Tamil Nadu struggled to counter early. Strong shooting and compact defense helped Railways build a commanding 40–23 lead by halftime. Tamil Nadu, coached by CV Sunny with V Senthil Selvan as assistant, mounted a determined second-half comeback, outscoring Railways 46–37. Despite the late surge, the hosts fell short as Railways managed the clock and key possessions effectively.
Under the guidance of head coach Jasjot Singh and assistant Vikram Parmar, Indian Railways showcased balanced team basketball. Arvinder Singh led the scoring with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while tournament MVP Kanwar Gurbaz Singh Sandhu contributed 14 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds. Sahaji Pratap Singh Sekhon added 14 points, Palpreet Singh Brar posted a dominant double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Principal Singh impressed off the bench with 10 points and 8 rebounds. As a team, Railways shot 37 percent from the field (23/62) and an efficient 41 percent from three-point range (7/17). They capitalized on turnovers for 20 points, scored 26 points in the paint, and held a biggest lead of 17.
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For Tamil Nadu, Arvind Kumar Muthukrishnan was the standout performer and lone consistent threat. The Best Shooter award winner exploded for 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, accounting for nearly half of his team’s total. Baladhaneshwar Poiyamozhi added 13 points and 5 rebounds, while Pranav Prince contributed 9 points and 12 rebounds. The rest of the squad struggled to find rhythm, finishing with 32 percent shooting overall (25/78) and 26 percent from three (7/26), alongside 23 turnovers.
The box score reflected the flow of the contest, with Railways taking the first two quarters 20–10 and 20–13 before Tamil Nadu rallied in the third (24–14) and fourth (22–23) quarters, ultimately falling 77–69.
Post-tournament awards highlighted individual excellence across both divisions. Pushpa Senthilkumar (Indian Railways) was named Women’s MVP, while Kanwar Gurbaz Singh Sandhu claimed the Men’s MVP award, with both receiving cars. Sreekala Rani (Kerala) and Arvind Kumar Muthukrishnan (Tamil Nadu) were awarded Best Shooter honors in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively, each receiving ₹50,000. The winning teams in both divisions earned ₹5 lakh, with runners-up taking home ₹3 lakh.
The road to the finals featured several emphatic semifinal performances. In the women’s semifinals, Railways defeated Tamil Nadu 88–54, led by Pushpa Senthilkumar (22 points) and P. Priyanka (18), while Kerala overcame Madhya Pradesh 87–58 behind strong outings from Jayalakshmi VJ (20), Sreekala Rani (19), Aneesha Cleetus (17), and Kavitha Jose (16). In the men’s semifinals, Railways beat Delhi 65–53 with balanced scoring, while Tamil Nadu advanced past Uttar Pradesh.
Overall, the 75th Senior National Basketball Championship underlined the rising competitiveness of Indian basketball, with teams like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Delhi consistently pushing the traditional powerhouses.
Indian Railways’ clean sweep reinforced their institutional dominance, built on depth, structure, and execution. As the championship concludes, attention now shifts to national camps and upcoming international assignments, with several standout performers expected to transition swiftly into national duty.
