1st Khelo India School Games from August 2025
It will follow a tiered structure, starting from the district level, moving to the state level, and culminating in national-level competitions.
New Delhi, May 26, 2025 — In a major move to overhaul and strengthen India’s grassroots sports ecosystem, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has unveiled a comprehensive Annual Calendar of competitions under the Khelo India initiative. The rollout marks a decisive step towards structured, year-round athlete engagement and talent development—placing a special spotlight on the Khelo India School Games (KISG) as a key foundational pillar in this vision.
Unveiled by Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the annual calendar aims to unify India’s fragmented sports ecosystem into a coherent, competitive framework. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mandaviya emphasized that, “The Khelo India Annual Calendar is not just a schedule, but a strategic blueprint to transform India into a global sporting powerhouse. The youth are at the heart of this revolution.”
Khelo India School Games
Among the various competitions planned, the Khelo India School Games (KISG) stand out for their far-reaching impact. Designed with a tiered structure—from district to state and finally, national levels—KISG is expected to become a primary talent identification platform for India’s future champions. The multi-layered format mirrors international best practices and ensures young athletes are introduced to competitive environments early in their development.
The first edition of KISG is scheduled to be held from August to December 2025.
“The Khelo India School Games will offer early exposure to structured, high-standard competitions for students across the country, many of whom will go on to represent India at global events such as the Commonwealth Games 2030 and the Olympic Games 2036,” Dr. Mandaviya added.
This fresh push builds upon the success of existing Khelo India events, which already include four marquee national-level competitions—the Khelo India Youth Games, University Games, Para Games, and Winter Games. These events, held in close coordination with National Sports Federations (NSFs), have played a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing young talent across disciplines.
The new calendar also expands the Khelo India portfolio with innovative formats such as the Khelo India Beach Games, Water Sports, North-East Games, and culturally rooted events like the Martial Art Games, Tribal Games, and Swadeshi Games. These additions aim to unlock regional talent, celebrate India's sporting diversity, and bring traditional disciplines into the mainstream.
Key Details Awaited
Interestingly, the inaugural edition of the Khelo India Youth Games in 2018 was known as ‘Khelo India School Games’ which was subsequently rebranded to ‘Khelo India Youth Games’ the following year.
The current Khelo India Youth Games already includes a U17 category that clearly targets school-going children. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if the new ‘Khelo India School Games’ differentiates itself by mandating participation ‘school-wise’ rather than individual-wise (which is what is happening under the existing Khelo India U17 and U21 formats - where top players from each State form a single team and compete against other States nationally).
It is also not yet clear what all sports/games will be included under the Khelo India School Games.
***
If you've come this far...
Appeal to readers - ₹₹ Support Ekalavyas: Ekalavyas is India's first and only basketball media company. We are not foreign-funded, nor investor backed. Your support and encouragement have got us this far. We now need your financial assistance to ensure we can keep providing you timely, accurate and important information. Please contribute via https://razorpay.me/@ekalavyas 🙏🏾. We are accepting contributions as low as Rs. 1/- (including a small processing fee charged by the payment gateway provider). Thank you for playing a part in keeping media independent and objective!
 |
|