India Aims for Kho-Kho Inclusion in 2036 Olympics: Mandaviya

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday expressed the government's desire to take traditional Indian sports across the world and said the inclusion of Kho Kho in the Asian Games and 2036 Olympics will require a collective effort. India, aiming to host the 2036 Olympics, has taken the first concrete step towards its ambitious plans by submitting a 'Letter of Intent' to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) future host commission expressing its will.

If India gets the hosting rights, Kho Kho will be one of the six sports that the ministry's Mission Olympic Unit (MOC) is planning to recommend for inclusion in the 2036 Olympics along with Twenty20 cricket, kabaddi, chess and squash. Felicitating the Indian Khokho teams that won the World Cup, Mandaviya said, "We have done a great job by organizing the Kho Kho World Cup and we should try to make sure that these players get a chance to play in the Asian Games."

He said the government's effort is also to take Kho Kho to the 2036 Olympics. For that the players and coaches will have to perform well, the federation will have to manage well and the Sports Ministry will continue to help and support the level of performance of the players. The felicitation ceremony was attended by the men's and women's teams along with the team's coach and Kho Kho Federation of India president Sudhanshu Mittal, among others.

Indian men's and women's teams won the inaugural Khokho World Cup title at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on 19 January. Both Indian teams defeated Nepal in the final. Talking about the revival of traditional sports in the country, Mandaviya said that traditional sports reflect the spirit of community and tolerance and most importantly, these maintain our traditional sporting values.