Remember the time when your day was incomplete without playing games? Playing sports benefit us in many ways like performance enhancement, character-building traits, improved physical and mental health. They are an essential and crucial component in Nation’s development. Over the last few years, India has made stable progress in the sports field. Now it’s time to showcase our talent at the global level.
The Khelo India programme was introduced to revive India’s sports culture at a basic level by building a solid foundation for all; the sports played in the country and set up India as a strong sporting nation.
What Is Khelo India?
Khelo India (Play India) is a programme launched by the Government of India in 2016-17 under the term of office of Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Vijay Goel and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. It is a National Programme for the Development of Sports that aims at developing and enhancing India’s sports culture at a crucial level by organising sports competitions, developing sports infrastructure and identifying talent.
The “Khelo India: National Programme for Development of Sports” was formed after merging the following schemes: –
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA)
- Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS)
- National Sports Talent Search Scheme (NSTSS)
Image Source: Khelo India
What Is The Objective Of The Programme?
The two main objectives of the programme are;
- Mass Participation
- Promotion of excellence in Sports
What Is The Motto Of Khelo India?
The key objective is to promote fitness across schools, women and grass-root levels. The event is promoted by Prime Minister, Sports Minister and is telecasted on television to accomplish this.
12 Verticals Under The Khelo India Programme
To achieve the objectives of the programme, the Khelo India Programme has been divided into 12 verticals, viz:
- Play Field Development
- Community Coaching Development
- State Level Khelo Centres
- Annual Sports Competition
- Talent Search and Development
- Utilisation and Creation / Upgradation of Sports Infrastructure
- Support for National / Regional and State Sports Academics
- Physical Fitness of School Children
- Sports for Women
- Promotion of sports amongst people with disabilities
- Sports for Peace and Development
- Promotion of rural/indigenous and tribal games
Competitions
1. Khelo India Youth Games
Khelo India Youth Games (Play India Youth Games) is held every year in January or February at a national level. The primary purpose is to grassroots talent hunt for under 17 School students and 21 College students. The games of this event include gymnastics, athletics, shooting and more.
2. Khelo India University Games
Khelo India University Games is an annual multi games competition held at the national level. Athletes from different universities across the country take part in this. It is the largest university-level competition in India. The games of this event include archery, football, weightlifting and more.
3. Khelo India Winter Games
Khelo India Winter games are national-level multidisciplinary grassroots games of India. The events include ice hockey, snow rugby, snow baseball, snow ice stock, snow skiing, snow mountaineering, snowshoe, speed skating and figure skating.
Age Groups
The competition will be held at the Block / District / State / National level. It will be conducted in respect of five distinct age groups, viz: age above 6 –under12, above 12 –under18, above 18 –under 36, above 36 under -50 and above 50.
Who Is The Brand Ambassador Of Khelo India?
The Brand Ambassador of Khelo India is Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Khelo India 2021
The Union Sports Ministry announced, Karnataka will be hosting the second edition of the Khelo India University Games. The majority of events will be conducted at the Jain University Campus Bengaluru, while the rest of the events will be conducted at various venues across the State. Haryana Sports Department has started finalising the plans for hosting the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. Khelo India Winter Games are being organised by the sports ministry and the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir.
