Recently, the world tournament of Kho Kho was organised in Delhi at the Indira Gandhi Stadium from 13th January to 19th January. The inaugural ceremony was presided over by the Vice President and attended by several dignitaries from India and abroad, including P. T. Usha, chairperson of the Indian Olympic Association.
Despite the event’s prestige and its significance in championing an Indian-origin sport, it received limited coverage in print and electronic media. Social media only took note when the Indian women’s and men’s teams secured victory in the tournament, defeating Nepal in the final.
Why is the Kho Kho event so prestigious and important for India? One reason lies in the sport’s potential to involve mass participation due to its minimal infrastructure requirements. Kho Kho is deeply ingrained in India’s cultural ethos, reminiscent of childhood games like ‘hide and seek’, which every Indian child has played. Additionally, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a revered freedom fighter, wrote the first rule book for Kho Kho, earning him the title of the father of Kho Kho in India.
The dedication and passion of Sudhanshu Mittal, chairman of the Kho Kho Federation, in promoting the sport both within India and globally, are remarkable. His leadership and the efforts of his team in successfully organising such an event highlight India’s capabilities in hosting international tournaments, bolstering the country’s aspirations to host the 2036 Olympics.
To promote mass participation in Kho Kho, the Federation leveraged the Society of Digital Entrepreneurs (SODES) network across the country. Within less than a month, approximately 400,000 people, primarily students, registered their interest in the sport.
The Indira Gandhi Stadium, with a seating capacity of 10,000, was nearly full during the tournament’s inaugural ceremony, with school students forming the majority of attendees. A similar turnout was observed during the closing ceremony.
The championship featured teams from 23 countries, including 20 men’s and 19 women’s teams. Given that Kho Kho is not yet a recognised sport in international arenas like the Olympics, Asian Games, or Commonwealth Games, the successful organisation of such a world championship is highly commendable.
Kho Kho, a traditional Indian sport predominantly played in rural areas, requires minimal infrastructure and equipment, making it suitable for schools and colleges with existing playgrounds. Its rules are simple and easy to understand for both players and spectators.
The game aligns with Indian conditions, especially in villages where introducing other sports may require costly infrastructure and equipment. Learning the sport does not demand excessive time, except for those aspiring to become professionals. In its essence, Kho Kho is next to yoga in its “Bhartiyata” (Indianness), reflecting qualities like agility, teamwork, commitment, smartness, and passion among participants.
India’s educational and rural landscape offers immense potential for the growth of Kho Kho. With around 1.5 million schools in India, each hosting two teams (30 participants), the sport could engage approximately 45 million students. Additionally, it could be promoted in the country’s 50,000 colleges and its 650,000 villages, creating a platform for widespread participation.
Given its potential, Kho Kho could be declared India’s second national sport alongside hockey. Organising Asian and world championships would further bolster its status as a globally recognised sport.
India has already demonstrated its ability to bring cultural and traditional practices to the international stage, such as by establishing International Yoga Day through the United Nations. A similar initiative has been undertaken for the global promotion of millets. With the support of the Prime Minister and national leadership, securing international recognition for Kho Kho is within reach.
The Kho Kho Federation could facilitate this by organising a meeting between the winning teams and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as featuring the sport in the “Mann Ki Baat” programme to promote it at the grassroots level.
A call by the Prime Minister encouraging villages to form Kho Kho teams and organise tournaments at the block, district, and state levels could transform Kho Kho into a mass movement, fostering community participation in sports across India.
Kho Kho represents a low-cost model for promoting mass community involvement in sports, particularly among youth. The sport was first showcased at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a special feature, and the first Asian championship was organised in Kolkata in 1996.
There is a strong belief that, by the time India hosts the Olympics in 2036—100 years after Kho Kho’s first exhibition match—it will have achieved Olympic recognition. When this happens, India’s men’s and women’s teams could very well bring home gold medals.
Such an achievement would be a testament to the efforts of the Kho Kho Federation in promoting the sport on an international scale, while also fulfilling the government’s vision of fostering community participation in sports.
