New Delhi, Jan 22 (PTI) Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday expressed the government’s desire to take traditional Indian sports to the world and said a collective effort would be required to get kho kho included in the Asian Games and the 2036 Olympics.
India is aiming to host the 2036 Olympics and has submitted a ‘Letter of Intent’, expressing its desire to the International Olympic Committee’s Future Host Commission, taking the first concrete step towards its ambitious plan.
If India gets the hosting rights, kho kho is one of the six sports the ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell plans to recommend for inclusion in the 2036 Olympics, along with Twenty20 cricket, kabaddi, chess and squash.
“We did a splendid job of organising the Kho Kho World Cup and we need to make an effort that these players get a chance to play at the Asian Games,” Mandaviya said, while felicitating the World Cup-winning Indian kho kho teams.
“The Government’s endeavour is also to take kho kho to the Olympics in 2036. For this, the players and coaches need to keep performing well, the federation has to keep managing well and the Sports Ministry will carry on supporting and helping to raise the level of players’ performances.” The felicitation function was attended by the men’s and women’s squads as well as coaches and president of Kho Kho Federation of India Sudhanshu Mittal, among others. The Indian men’s and women’s teams clinched the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup titles at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on January 19.
Both the Indian teams defeated Nepal in their respective finals.
Talking about the resurgence of traditional sports in the country, Mandaviya said, “Traditional games showcase the resilience, community spirit and, most importantly, upholds our traditional sporting value. The world has so much to learn from the richness of these traditional games.
“Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has mentioned across various national platforms that we have to give the best exposure to the traditional sports. Now our teams are not only getting the best exposures but also coming out with flying colours.” Indian women’s kho kho team chief coach Sumit Bhatia credited the month-long camp held here for the team’s success.
“On December 10, we started the camp with 60 players. Out of them, we found the best 15 players each for the men’s and women’s teams. The teams were composed of players from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and the camp helped them forge a chemistry,” he said. PTI SSC AM SSC AM AM
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