Sports Minister Mandaviya Unveils Khelo India Annual Calendar to Strengthen Grassroots Sports

New Delhi – In a major move to bolster grassroots sports and athlete development, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) has released a comprehensive Annual Calendar under the Khelo India initiative. The calendar lays out a year-round schedule of competitions designed to build a structured, inclusive, and competitive sporting ecosystem across the country.

Launching the programme, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called the calendar “a strategic blueprint for transforming India into a global sporting powerhouse.” He added: “Over the past decade, Indian sport has undergone a remarkable transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. With regular national-level competitions through Khelo India, we have created a dynamic and inclusive ecosystem. Now, we will expand this vision with a series of new events—such as the Khelo India Beach Games, School Games, Water Sports, and North-East Games—to identify and nurture young talent year-round.”

Expanding the Khelo India Umbrella

Khelo India already stages four flagship national events—the Youth Games, University Games, Para Games, and Winter Games—run in partnership with National Sports Federations to ensure international-standard technical conduct. Building on this foundation, MYAS will introduce:

• Khelo India Beach Games (KIBG)

• Khelo India School Games (KISG) on a district-to-state-to-national tier

• Khelo India Water Sports

• Khelo India North-East Games

• Khelo India Tribal, Martial Arts, and Swadeshi Games

These additions aim to tap regional potential, spotlight under-represented disciplines, and integrate traditional and indigenous sports into the mainstream.

Impact on Infrastructure and Local Economies

Each event will have a designated host state or union territory, a strategy intended to boost local sports infrastructure, build organisational capacity, and enhance sports tourism. MYAS expects the ripple effects to extend to regional economies while preparing venues for future national and international competitions.

Busy Sporting Year Ahead

The current season has already seen the successful completion of:

• Khelo India Winter Games – Jammu & Kashmir/Gulmarg (Jan–Feb 2025)

• Khelo India Para Games – Delhi (Mar–Apr 2025)

• Khelo India Youth Games – Bihar (May 2025)

Next up is the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games, scheduled for Diu from 19–25 May 2025. The remainder of the calendar features:

• Khelo India School Games – Aug–Dec 2025

• Khelo India University Games – Mar–Apr 2026

• Water Sports & North-East Games – May–Jun 2026

• Tribal Games – September 2025, Chhattisgarh

• Indigenous & Martial Art Games – Jul–Aug 2025, Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh

• Complementary programmes such as the Fit India Carnival (Feb 2026, Delhi), ASMITA Leagues, and Peace and Development League activities throughout the year

A Roadmap to 2030 and 2036

Mandaviya emphasised that these structured competitions form the backbone of India’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games 2030 and the Olympic Games 2036. “India is on the move,” he said, “and our youth are at the heart of this sporting revolution.”

With its evidence-based scheduling—accounting for seasonal, regional, and sport-specific factors—the new calendar seeks not only to raise athletic standards but also to attract sponsors, media coverage, and tourism. States will soon be invited to bid through a streamlined proposal process for hosting multiple events.

Through this expanded Khelo India framework, MYAS reaffirms its commitment to forging a fit, competitive, and globally recognised sporting nation—empowering every young athlete to dream big, train hard, and represent India with pride.

With inputs from IANS